Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar is seeking a fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives for Florida's 27th district this Tuesday, November 3rd. Her opponent is Democrat Eliott Rodríguez, also a former television presenter of Cuban descent, in one of the most closely watched races in South Florida.
Both are children of Cuban emigrants, but their paths were different. Salazar was born in Miami and worked for years in Spanish television before arriving at Congress in 2021. Rodríguez was born in the Bronx, New York, and was a press journalist and news anchor in South Florida, including Local 10 and CBS Miami. Both studied at Miami Dade College and the University of Miami, according to Local 10.
Immigration and Trump highlight their differences
Immigration policy occupies a central place in the confrontation. Rodríguez accuses Salazar of having supported the funding of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and of remaining silent about the detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." "She voted in favor of funding ICE," declared the Democratic candidate to Local 10. In an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba, he also questioned his rival's response to the situation of Cubans with I-220A and her votes on Medicaid and the SNAP food assistance program.
Salazar defends her management in Congress and her campaign highlights initiatives related to flooding and coastal resilience, as well as the TAKE IT DOWN Act, aimed at combating the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, including those created using artificial intelligence. The congresswoman also promotes the Dignity Act, a proposed immigration reform that has not yet been passed into law.
President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Salazar's re-election in the final stretch of the campaign, despite her having questioned specific deportations from his administration weeks earlier. Rodríguez proposes a comprehensive immigration reform and has made the cost of living and the protection of Social Security and Medicare other priorities of her candidacy.
Adjusted polls and increased Republican fundraising
A poll by RedBox Research conducted from October 20 to 23 among 523 likely voters showed Salazar with 49% voter intention and Rodríguez with 46%. The difference is within the published margin of error of ±5.5 points. The study was funded by the super PAC A Fight Worth Having, whose polling unit is RedBox.
In campaign resources, the congresswoman had an advantage. According to reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission and compiled by Decision Desk HQ, as of October 14, Salazar had declared approximately $2.52 million in accumulated income, compared to $1.57 million for Rodríguez.
The polling places in Miami-Dade close at 7:00 p.m. local time. The official portal Florida Election Watch is expected to start releasing preliminary state results at 8:00 p.m., once the polls are closed across the two time zones in the state. Readers can follow the .
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