Who's In the Race

Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) faces Democrat Eliott Rodriguez in the Nov. 3 general election in Florida's 27th District. The district is running on a new congressional map approved in 2026. ​

Salazar, a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, has represented Florida's 27th District since 2021. She won the Republican primary with about 81 percent of the vote, running unopposed. Rodriguez spent more than five decades in broadcast journalism, including 25 years at CBS News Miami, and grew up near Coral Gables as the son of Cuban immigrant parents.

He won the Democratic primary over runner-up Robin Peguero; the certified results show Rodriguez received 17,332 votes to Peguero's 15,056, but no vote-share percentage was reported for either candidate.

What They Stand For

Salazar has proposed immigration reform that would bring some undocumented workers "out of the shadows," according to her campaign website. She has also supported:

  • Promoting small business and economic growth,
  • Addressing healthcare, infrastructure, public safety and the environment; and
  • Targeted immigration reform through the Dignity Act, which would create a legal "Dignity Status" for some immigrants living in the United States without authorization.

Rodriguez has proposed lowering the cost of living, including addressing housing affordability, according to his campaign website. He has also supported:

  • Protecting Medicare, Social Security, and healthcare,
  • Secure borders alongside "an orderly system" and humane treatment of migrants; and
  • Targeted sanctions against Cuba's government rather than its population, according to Univision.

The Money Behind the Race

Salazar raised about $2 million through July 29, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, and had about $2.3 million in cash on hand. Rodriguez raised about $661,000 through July 29 and had about $325,000 in the bank, FEC filings show.

Outside groups had spent about $71,000 as of Oct. 13, all of it supporting Salazar, according to the race record. The largest spender was Latinos for Conservative Values, which accounted for the full $71,252.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rated the race "Lean Republican" as of Oct. 9. Sabato's Crystal Ball also rated it "Lean Republican" as of Oct. 11, and Inside Elections rated it "Lean Republican" as of Oct. 2.

On Kalshi, traders gave Republicans, whose nominee is Salazar, a 64.36 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 13; Democrats, whose nominee is Rodriguez, stood at 35.64 percent.

Salazar carried the district with about 57 percent in 2022 and about 60 percent in 2024. Republicans held 20 of Florida's 28 U.S. House seats after both the 2022 and 2024 elections. Donald Trump carried Florida in the 2024 presidential election with about 56 percent of the vote.

Florida's voter-registration deadline for the Nov. 3 election was Monday, Oct. 5, according to the Florida Division of Elections. The deadline to request a mail ballot is Thursday, Oct. 22, by 5:00 p.m. Early voting in Miami-Dade County runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 1, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily. Polls on Election Day are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

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