Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar and Democratic challenger Eliott Rodriguez are offering voters sharply different pictures of Florida’s 27th Congressional District, according to Florida Politics. Salazar is seeking a fourth term on bipartisan accomplishments, local funding and opposition to Latin American dictatorships. Rodriguez, a retired CBS Miami anchor making his first run for office, argues her loyalty to President Donald Trump has hurt residents facing higher costs and tougher immigration enforcement.
The district covers Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Key Biscayne, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, South Miami, West Miami and parts of Miami south of the Dolphin Expressway. Roughly three-quarters of residents are Hispanic, and Republicans hold a voter-registration edge of nearly 39%. Florida Politics ranked the race fifth among 11 South Florida contests to watch.
Salazar has pointed to more than $89 million in federal projects her office says she secured, along with the TAKE IT DOWN Act and her Dignity Act on immigration. Rodriguez supports restoring enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and wants to ban stock trading by members of Congress. He has also questioned donations to Salazar’s campaign from several figures, and her campaign has said it will return or match some of that money.
Salazar has not debated an opponent since 2020 and did not respond to invitations from CBS Miami, Local 10 and Telemundo 51. A Rodriguez poll from August showed the two tied at 45%, and Cook Political Report, Fox News and Sabato’s Crystal Ball have moved the seat to Lean Republican. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has added Rodriguez to its Red to Blue program.
