Maria Elvira Salazar Secures Reelection in Florida’s 27th District

Incumbent Republican Representative Maria Elvira Salazar has clinched a victory in Florida’s 27th Congressional District, as projected by CBS News. The win follows an automatic machine recount prompted by Florida law. Salazar, who has occupied this Miami-area seat since 2021, publicly declared her victory on social media after the recount results kept the margins unchanged.

The final results, revealed Tuesday evening, showed Salazar maintaining a 1,086-vote lead over her opponent, Democrat Eliott Rodriguez. Salazar expressed her gratitude to voters across party lines, stating, “My deepest gratitude to every Republican, Democrat, and Independent who placed their trust in me. This victory sends a message beyond Miami: We prevailed because we LISTENED.”

The recount, which lasted approximately 18 hours according to CBS News Miami, will have its results formally certified by the state on November 17.

The Legal Dispute Over the Recount

Rodriguez had sought the removal of Alina Garcia, the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections, from the canvassing board, accusing her of bias toward Salazar. However, a judge dismissed this motion, allowing the recount to continue. Garcia had made a controversial comment to the Miami Herald, which the judge dismissed as “stupid,” deeming it insufficient grounds for her removal.

Garcia had initially indicated Salazar’s probable win, but later clarified that while possible, a Rodriguez victory was unlikely. The judge maintained that Garcia’s incomplete statement did not warrant her dismissal from an elected position.

Garcia refuted any conflict of interest allegations, stating, “The lawsuit recently filed against me was without merit and was immediately dismissed by a federal judge.” She affirmed her commitment to fulfilling her duties according to the law.

A Closely Watched District

Florida’s 27th Congressional District includes areas such as Miami, Coral Gables, Kendall, Key Biscayne, and Pinecrest. Salazar, a former television journalist, has represented the district for three terms, initially winning the seat by defeating Democrat Donna Shalala in 2020.

Rodriguez, who transitioned from a long career in television news to politics, entered the race in 2026. He had previously spent much of his career at CBS News Miami before launching his congressional campaign in March.

Salazar overcame attorney V. Michael Arias in the Republican primary, while Rodriguez bested former federal prosecutor Robin Peguero in the Democratic primary.

The district, with a Republican tilt, saw Salazar win reelection by a significant margin two years prior. Nonetheless, Democrats aimed to narrow this gap. The race gained national attention when Salazar released a campaign ad cautioning President Trump about the sentiments of Hispanic voters regarding his immigration enforcement policies.