Gelber introduced Judge Marilyn Milian (of the TV show The People's Court) to her husband John Schlesinger at a local bar one Friday night.[citation needed] Gelber's career in public service started at the age of twenty-five, when he was appointed as one of the youngest federal prosecutors in the nation.In 2009, Gelber sponsored and helped pass a bill that closed a real estate loophole that allowed high end developers to evade taxes.Reminiscent of Senator Bob Graham's Workdays, Gelber performed community service across Florida, which included serving meals to the homeless, cleaning up the Wekiva River, and joining elementary school students in writing letters to veterans.[citation needed] Gelber soundly won the August 24, 2010, primary election, defeating his Democratic opponent fellow state senator Dave Aronberg by 18 points.His main competitor, former commissioner Michael Grieco, withdrew from the election and eventually resigned from office amid a campaign finance scandal that led to criminal charges.
Mayor Dan Gelber speaking at rally at the Bass Museum, Miami Beach, 2018