The Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, appeared this Friday in Pinecrest, Miami-Dade, to support the Democratic candidate Eliott Rodríguez in his attempt to take Florida's Congressional District 27 from the Republican María Elvira Salazar, three days before early voting opens in the county.
The event, held at a café in Pinecrest, is the clearest indication so far that the Democratic Party views this seat as a genuine opportunity to gain ground in Florida and regain the majority in the House.
"With the help of leader Jeffries and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, we are going to turn it blue once again," Rodríguez declared to reporters.
Jeffries described the CD-27 as "an incredibly winnable seat" and promised to be "a strong and vigorous advocate to ensure that Eliott Rodríguez has the resources" needed to reach voters.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) recently included Rodríguez in its Red to Blue program, which provides funding, personnel, and strategic support to candidates likely to flip Republican seats. CD-27 is one of the six districts in Florida that the DCCC is targeting.
Much of Jeffries' message focused on Trump's immigration policy in a district where approximately 74% of the population is Hispanic. "They told us that immigration enforcement would target the worst of the worst," he stated, describing the president's deportation machinery as out of control and demanding that enforcement be "fair, equitable, and humane."
Rodríguez, 69 years old, is the son of Cuban immigrants and has lived in the district since 1968. He spent 25 years as a broadcaster at CBS Miami before retiring in late 2025 and announcing his candidacy in March 2026. His campaign focuses on reducing the cost of living, preserving Social Security and Medicare, and promoting comprehensive immigration reform.
The visit of Jeffries comes after a week of significant local endorsements: the mayor of Miami-Dade, Daniella Levine Cava, and the mayor of Miami, Eileen Higgins, endorsed Rodríguez this week, highlighting his knowledge of South Florida and his ability to work beyond political differences.
Salazar, also a Cuban-American and former television journalist, is seeking a fourth consecutive term. He has won his three previous elections with increasing margins: nearly three points in 2020, around 15 in 2022, and approximately 21 in 2024.
However, the race tightened since September, when Salazar publicly confronted Trump by criticizing his deportation policies outside the White House, igniting an open clash with the president that transformed what seemed to be a secure contest into a competitive one.
Cook Political Report moved the district two categories since spring, from "Solid Republican" to "Lean Republican." Fox News and Sabato's Crystal Ball made the same adjustment in September.
Salazar has responded by building a support front of Latin Americans: Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella labeled her as "Colombia's best friend in Congress," and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado described her as "a steadfast and loyal ally in the cause of Venezuela's freedom."
Rodríguez rejected that approach: “As much as my opponent wants to make this election about politics in Latin America”, he said, “it's really about the people of District 27 in Florida.”
The available polls, all commissioned by Democrats, indicate a very tight race.
A survey by Tulchin Research conducted between September 8 and 13 gave Salazar a narrow lead of 47% to 46%, while one from Bendixen & Amandi International showed a tie at 45%. Prediction markets also reflected this shift: Kalshi, which had given Salazar a 78% chance of winning in September, placed her at around 66% by the middle of this week.
Early voting in Miami-Dade starts on October 19, and the general election day is November 3, 2026.
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