Comment on Never too late: Put Emilio Benitez on Broward’s bench | Endorsement

Emilio “Emi” Benitez is a persistent man. Over nearly three decades, the long-time Broward lawyer and child advocate applied for judicial appointments 17 times, and 17 times his applications were rejected, either by a local Judicial Nominating Commission or by one of several governors. He last applied in 2018, Rick Scott’s last year as governor. Sometimes, the competition was fierce, as it was in 1997, when a Democratic governor chose Peter Weinstein, a former state senator. Now, as he turns 66, Benitez is running for an open judicial seat for the first time.