Jackson "Rip" Holmes, a Coral Gables business owner and real estate agent, is running for mayor in the city's Group I race on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

He faces two opponents: Laureano Cancio and Vince C. Lago.

Holmes, who describes himself as a "perennially losing candidate," according to the Miami Herald, has run multiple times for both mayor and city commissioner without winning. He said on his campaign website that he was born and raised in Coral Gables and has spent most of his life there.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Coral Gables mayor, Group I
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Hometown: Coral Gables, Florida
  • Education: Law degree from the University of Florida, according to his campaign website
  • Business: Owns 10 retail stores at 244–272 Miracle Mile in downtown Coral Gables, according to Miami's Community Newspapers
  • Occupation: Real estate agent, according to Miami's Community Newspapers
  • Other: Speaks Spanish fluently; his wife is Peruvian, according to Miami's Community Newspapers

Experience and public service

Holmes has a long history of seeking office in Coral Gables. He ran for city commissioner in 2011 and 2015, according to Miami's Community Newspapers. He ran for mayor in 2021 and for city commissioner in the Group IV race in 2023, according to the Miami Herald.

Holmes said on his campaign website that he has attended roughly three out of every five City Commission meetings since 1998.

On the issues

Development: Holmes said he opposes what he calls runaway overdevelopment in Coral Gables, warning it will turn the city into "Brickell Avenue or downtown Miami" and end its character as a suburb, according to his campaign website. He said he supports a charter amendment that would require voter approval of all major new development projects, similar to rules in Miami Beach and Key Biscayne.

Public safety: Holmes said the city has not added a single firefighter in 30 years despite approximately 60 major new buildings going up since 1992, according to Miami's Community Newspapers. He called for hiring more firefighters and additional trash collection personnel. He said police, fire and trash pickup are voters' top budget priorities.

Taxes: Holmes said he pledges to consistently vote to lower property taxes and that residents and businesses are entitled to lower taxes, according to his campaign website. He said he has worked for years on lowering or slowing the growth of rising property taxes.

Immigration: Holmes called for ending Coral Gables' contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying the city did not need to partner with the federal agency, according to the Coral Gables Gazette.

Voters can find their sample ballot on the Miami-Dade County elections website.