Salazar and Rodriguez Face Off in Florida’s 27th District
The contest pits Salazar, who has represented the district since 2021, against Rodriguez, a fellow retired South Florida broadcast journalist. The district stretches from downtown Miami to Cutler Bay. Both candidates are Cuban American, were born in the United States to Cuban immigrant parents and studied at Miami Dade College and the University of Miami.
The candidates have sharply criticized each other over their records and political positions. Rodriguez has argued Salazar has not done enough on immigration and has criticized her support for funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Salazar has cast the choice as one between her and a candidate aligned with socialism. She has also pointed to her work on flood mitigation, coastal resilience and legislation addressing the non-consensual online sharing of intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes.
Salazar has cited efforts to secure funding for affordable housing for seniors and legislation providing tax breaks, including on tips and overtime. Rodriguez has said the district needs new representation and criticized immigration enforcement practices, including actions he said infringe on people’s rights.
Federal Election Commission figures showed Salazar had raised more than $2.5 million in total receipts by October 14, compared with more than $1.56 million for Rodriguez. Public polling cited in the race had Salazar leading by three points, though the figures could change as ballots were cast. Salazar was expected to make a final campaign appearance in Key Biscayne on November 3.
Salazar’s Immigration Record Puts Her Seat at Risk
The race for Florida’s 27th Congressional District turns on a question Salazar’s campaign record cannot sidestep: whether she has done enough to protect people affected by immigration enforcement. Democrat Eliott Rodriguez has attacked the incumbent for supporting ICE funding and for failing to stand firmly against enforcement practices he says violate people’s rights.
Rodriguez, a retired South Florida journalist, is seeking to unseat Salazar, who has held the seat since 2021. He has argued that the district needs a replacement, while Salazar has defended her record and presented the contest as a choice between herself and a candidate she associates with socialism.
Salazar points to work on flood resilience, senior housing and tax legislation, as well as a law addressing the non-consensual online publication of intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes. Those accomplishments are part of her case for another term, but they do not erase Rodriguez’s criticism of her immigration position.
The candidates share Cuban American backgrounds and careers in broadcast journalism, but their political differences are central to the campaign. Salazar had raised more than $2.5 million by October 14, compared with more than $1.56 million for Rodriguez. Public polling cited in the race put her three points ahead as voters prepared to decide on November 3.
Salazar Makes Her Record the Case for Another Term
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar is asking Florida’s 27th District voters to judge her by what she has delivered, as she faces a challenge from Democrat Eliott Rodriguez. Her campaign has highlighted efforts involving flood mitigation, coastal resilience and affordable housing for seniors, along with tax legislation covering tips and overtime.
Salazar has also pointed to the Take It Down Act, which criminalizes sharing intimate visual material online without consent, including deepfakes made with AI. She has framed the contest as a clear choice between her and a candidate she says is aligned with socialism.
Rodriguez, also a retired South Florida broadcast journalist, argues Salazar has not done enough on immigration and has criticized her support for ICE funding. He has condemned enforcement actions he says infringe on people’s rights. His criticism makes immigration a major point of dispute, but Salazar’s record includes issues beyond that debate, from senior housing to coastal protection.
Salazar has represented the district since 2021. Federal Election Commission figures showed she had raised more than $2.5 million by October 14, while Rodriguez had raised more than $1.56 million. Public polling cited in the race put Salazar three points ahead as the candidates made their final appeals before the November 3 vote.
Reported by Local 10 Miami, WSVN 7News, Mother Jones, Miami New Times.
