A Republican representative from Miami Beach, Fabián Basabe, announced an endorsement from Beverly Heller, a long‑time Miami‑Dade education advocate, on social media last week. The posts featured a photograph of Basabe and Heller together beneath a banner that read “Endorsement Alert,” accompanied by text stating, “Fabián Basabe proudly endorsed by Beverly Heller.”

Heller, an 84‑year‑old former public school teacher and member of the Miami‑Dade Superintendent’s Advisory Council, clarified that she never issued an endorsement. In a statement to Florida Politics, she said she supports public education and appreciates Basabe’s work in that area, but emphasized, “That is not the case. I have not endorsed anybody.”

Basabe had previously approached Florida Politics in early August 2025 with a claim that Heller had endorsed him, but he provided no documentation and no story was published at that time. Heller described Basabe as “a nice person” and said she does not know the details of a civil case from July that resulted in a jury finding Basabe liable for sexual harassment, battery and defamation of two former House employees. The jury awarded $450,000 in damages to the plaintiffs, a verdict Basabe is appealing.

Heller also referenced a 2020 charge that was later reduced to a misdemeanor after Basabe was accused of snatching a neighbor’s phone during an altercation involving his underage son. She expressed hesitation about accepting claims against Basabe, stating, “I’m hesitant about a lot of things.”

Following the July verdict, several officials who had backed Basabe’s reelection withdrew their support, and five of seven Miami Beach commission members called for his resignation. In a recent op‑ed published by the Miami New Times, Basabe compared himself to former President Donald Trump, who was found liable for sexual abuse in 2023, and urged readers who believed he could commit rape to “look at me” and consider his denial of wrongdoing. The piece prompted a critical response from the New Times and earned Basabe a “biggest loser” label from Florida Politics.

Basabe, the son of a wealthy Ecuadorian businessman and former reality‑TV participant, now faces Democrat Lucia Báez‑Geller, a former Miami‑Dade School Board member who secured the party’s primary with 57 % of the vote. The general election is scheduled for November 3.