The former Democratic lawmaker, who held office for eight years as a state representative and then senator until Sen. Jason Pizzo unseated her in 2018, has a long history of bizarre controversies and alleged corruption scandals. While serving in the statehouse, Campbell was the subject of endless jaw-dropping headlines — for taking a designer purse stuffed with cash from a healthcare executive (on camera), arguing she had no tax liens (she did), and calling the cops on journalists reporting critically on her (she did this twice), among other deeds.
Now, as if Miami politics weren't chaotic enough, Campbell is staging her latest political comeback.
The Haiti-born former lawmaker is running for mayor of the largely Haitian-American city of North Miami. Though she originally filed to enter the May 2023 mayoral race, it was delayed after the city moved its elections to a national election cycle — meaning Campbell will now be on the November 2024 ballot.
As a reminder to Miamians of how Campbell gained her notoriety ...[takes a deep breath, cracks knuckles, rolls up sleeves]...here's a recap of some of her messiest moments over the years:
"I Have My Rights"
Amid suspicions from the Miami-Dade Democratic party that she was betraying party values, Campbell went on CBS Miami's Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede to explain her views on gay rights. When DeFede mentioned her past votes on LGBTQ issues, including her vote against gay adoption in 2015 and the fact that she co-sponsored a so-called "bathroom bill" that sought to bar transgender people from using their restroom of choice, Campbell stood her ground.
"The gay people have their rights. I have my rights," Campbell, who is deeply religious, said. "Of course, I took an oath to serve everyone. I don't discriminate. I have gay people who work in my office. I have gay friends. But they have their rights. I have my rights."
Cashing In: Money-Stuffed Purse
In May 2017, Campbell celebrated her 60th birthday by holding a re-election fundraiser at the Miami Shores Country Club. In a video of the event posted on her Florida Senate YouTube page, a healthcare nonprofit executive was seen handing Campbell a Kate Spade purse and visibly shoving a wad of cash inside it.Campbell later denied that the man put money in the purse, before pivoting and saying it was a "joke."
"People can't donate to your birthday no more?" she asked the Herald in an interview.
Politico revealed that Campbell worked for years to push legislation sought by the executive, Julio Alfonso, who runs Solidaridad Sin Fronteras, a Hialeah-based nonprofit that helps healthcare professionals who are trained in other countries get licensed to work in the United States.
Robocall With Fake Obama Endorsement
In 2020, just days before the August primary election, a round of robocalls went out falsely claiming former president Barack Obama had endorsed Campbell's bid for Florida senate. "Hi, this is Barack Obama calling on behalf of my friend, [Daphne Campbell]," begins the call, which stitches together a recording of Obama's voice with a female voice that repeatedly says Campbell's name.
A spokesperson for Obama confirmed the call was (obviously) bogus.
"The robocall is a fake. President Obama hasn't issued any endorsements in Florida yet, including in this race." said spokesperson Katie Hill. "We strongly condemn any candidate who resorts to distortion to falsely suggest President Obama’s support."
Campbell claimed to know nothing about the robocall.No.
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) August 14, 2020
Barack Obama didn't endorse former Miami state Sen. Daphne Campbell.
Yes. This is the dumbest-sounding robocall ever. Listen here: https://t.co/kl6tGjy0Pk
Item from Florida Playbook, which has lots of other good stuff here: https://t.co/gpT5JQZg1Y pic.twitter.com/FAMkGrFq2c
"I don’t know anything about that," Campbell told the Herald. "I don't do those things at all."
Qualm After the Storm
After Hurricane Irma ripped through Miami-Dade in 2017, Campbell said she texted a Florida Power & Light lobbyist asking him to help turn the power back on at her house for her "sick mom," who she said was on oxygen. The narrative raised more than a few questions, as Campbell's biological mother has been dead since 1996, as previously reported by New Times.
A former staffer told reporters at the time that the lawmaker had used "mother" as a Caribbean-American term of respect for an elderly woman who was living in her home at that time. "In her Caribbean culture, they refer to elders as 'mother' and 'father,' 'aunts,' 'uncles,' 'brothers,' and sisters,'" the staffer said. "That's where the confusion came from."
In other headlines Campbell generated post-Irma, the then-state senator advertised a community event featuring pizza, massages, and Scientology. "LET'S HAVE A MASSAGE AND A PIZZA PARTY POST IRMA," reads a poster for the event, which features a logo for the Church of Scientology and cartoon pizza. "SEE YOU THERE!"
At the "relaxation" party, Campbell openly admitted in an on-camera interview with a Rise News reporter to texting a Florida Power & Light agent to try to get power restored at her house and her sister's home as the rest of Miami waited in darkness.Getting a massage while eating pizza with Scientologists is the perfect post-Irma stress release, according to this Florida state Senator pic.twitter.com/3yqBUXhPBX
— Matt Dixon (@Mdixon55) September 16, 2017
A spokesperson for FPL later told the Herald that Campbell did not receive help because of her position. "She did not get special treatment," he said. "It’s just absurd."
"My Name Is Rose"
Back in 2016, when former New Times writer Jerry Iannelli tried calling Campbell to ask about foreclosure proceedings brought against her over the years, a woman answered and identified herself as Daphne before quickly changing her mind. "You have the wrong number," the woman told Iannelli several times before hanging up. Minutes later, the same woman called back.
"My name is Rose," the woman, who refused to give New Times their last name, said. "Why do you want to know my last name?" she asked. "My name is Rose. You cannot have my last name. I don’t have anything to do with you."
She then added, "Who is Daphne Campbell? I do not know who that is."
