BY KARL ROSS, JAY WEAVER AND OSCAR CORRAL

 Lawyer Manny Diaz completed his rise from political unknown to mayor-elect of South Florida's biggest city Tuesday night with overwhelming support from Cuban
 American voters.

 Diaz, who first came into the public eye last year as a lawyer for the Little Havana relatives of Elián González, beat former mayor Maurice Ferré by 55 percent to 45
 percent.

 In the end, voters responded to Diaz's promise of a ``positive change'' over Ferré's background of ``proven leadership.''

 Ferré won decisively in black and white non-Hispanic neighborhoods, but Diaz was carried to office by voters in Little Havana and other Cuban areas.

 Ferré's campaign manager, Manny Alfonso, put it bluntly: ``If you're not Cuban in Miami, you don't have a chance.''

 When a projector screen at Diaz's campaign headquarters on Southwest Eighth Street flashed the results that showed Diaz ahead of Ferré, the tense crowd of about 500 burst into song and dance.

 Bedlam broke out when Diaz, flashing a big grin, walked in with his family. Supporters reached out to touch his arm and hug him. Even political enemies like outgoing
 Mayor Joe Carollo and Commissioner Tomás Regalado stood side by side behind Diaz.

 ``We're at the dawn of a new era in Miami,'' Diaz said to the crowd. ``Look around you, over there, everywhere throughout this campaign, this is what it was all about. One city, one future.''

 Diaz's vows to build consensus in a divided community will pose an immediate challenge. Some 88 percent of blacks voted against him, as did 68 percent of white
 non-Hispanics.

 ``He has fences to mend,'' said veteran pollster Rob Schroth. ``The success of his administration will depend on his ability to bring the city together.''

 Diaz understands his task: He promised Tuesday to return to all the communities he visited during his campaign to bring people together.

 Ferré also touched upon ethnic issues in his concession speech.

 ``I want you to know I'm not upset about the Cuban vote,'' Ferré said. ``I got 30 to 37 percent of the Cuban vote -- a vote for dignity.''

 At his post-election party at the Wyndham Hotel in downtown Miami, it was a night of mood swings.

 Early on as tallies from non-Cuban precincts showed Ferré with a double-digit lead, the feeling of victory was as contagious as the frantic, percussive sound of the salsa band animating the crowd. Hips swayed, cheers rang out and supporters flapped pro-Ferré bumper stickers.

 But spirits quickly sagged as results started rolling in from heavily Cuban precincts, putting Diaz over the top. Ferré's dream of a multi-ethnic electorate catapulting him into Miami's highest office had faded.

 Tuesday's vote caps off a week of debates, grass-roots campaigning and sometimes unpleasant accusations. Elián Gonzalez and Janet Reno were major factors.

 A day after the general election, Ferré accused Diaz's campaign manager Al Lorenzo of orchestrating a phone bank that called Spanish radio stations and linked Ferré to Reno. Diaz and Lorenzo denied the accusation, but false rumors began to swirl about Ferré.

 Cuban-American disdain for Reno, who ordered the raid that removed Elián from his Miami relatives, is very much alive.

 Ferré acknowledged the legacy of Elián González was at work, like a gremlin gumming up his political machine. Things might ended differently, he said, if the scars left by the child rafter's departure had been given more time to heal.

 ``But I accept this without any rancor because the majority of Cubans are decent people. And if they are confused it is because of the trauma of exile of the past 42
 years.''

 No matter how hard he tried to dispel the rumors about Reno, Ferré could not convince some people that it wasn't true. For some walking out of polls Tuesday, the issue swayed their decision.

 ``Elián was very important,'' said Berta Garcia, 71, as she left the Orange Bowl Tuesday. ``He [Diaz] did everything he could for that boy. I didn't vote for Ferré because he said he was going to support Janet Reno. He said later that he didn't say it. But I heard it.''

 His campaign manager and others lashed out at Cuban radio, accusing on-air personalities of spreading disinformation.

 ``I'm Cuban, but I'm not proud of their conduct,'' Isabel Lornilla, a Ferré aide said. ``When you buy a work of art, you don't ask where the painter is from -- you buy it because you like it.''

 But election experts said they thought Diaz would have won even without the Reno issue. For many Cuban-American voters, the Elián and Reno factor had little influence
 on their choice.

 ``Elián didn't interest me,'' said Odalys Garcia, 37. ``I just think Diaz is young, he's starting out. He's going to take charge here.''

 Under the city's charter, Diaz will officially replace Carollo on Sunday or Monday. Diaz said he would probably use the next five days to organize his plans for taking office. Among his first tasks is to choose a chief of staff.

 He declined to say last week who he wanted in that position, but Diaz said he may seek someone with political experience. A source close to Diaz said he may be
 leaning toward one of his long-time secretaries, or a political commentator on local television.

 ``I would look for an experienced team,'' Diaz said.

 Diaz said he would like to meet one on one with the five commissioners, perhaps over lunch, to talk about the issues and projects that most interest them.

 Next, he said he would meet with City Manager Carlos Gimenez to ``get a briefing'' on the state of the city. Diaz has pledged to keep Gimenez om the job. Political
 analysts believe Diaz's plans are typical of a newcomer. Florida International University political science professor Kevin Hill believes that at least at the beginning Diaz will rely on the city manager for guidance on certain issues.

 Diaz's decisive support at the polls, coupled with the respect he will show by meeting with each commissioner, may mark the beginning of a honeymoon period in which things go very smoothly at City Hall, analysts said.

 ``I think he will treat the commission with more respect than Carollo,'' Hill said. ``And their cooperation with him will be reflected for at least three or for months.''

 Once he establishes communication with the manager and commissioners, Diaz said he wants to go back out into the streets and thank people for their support.

 During every step of the way, Diaz said he plans to focus on his business background.

 Among Diaz's first official actions will be to hire a permanent finance director, possibly through a nationwide search. Then, he said he will begin to fulfill his campaign
 promises of reducing crime and poverty, and building unity.

 ``It's going to be a whirlwind,'' he said.

 Herald staff writers Joe Mozingo, Elysa Batista and Keny Feijoo contributed to this report.

                                    © 2001