The ballot battle for House District 27 featuring two former journalists on opposite sides of the aisle is ramping up.
Both candidates are former news anchors, who at first glance, have a lot of similarities.
Born in the U.S. to Cuban immigrant parents, both Elliott Rodriguez and Maria Elvira Salazar would go on to have long broadcast journalism careers, including one-on-one interviews with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
Now, the two are vying for your vote.
“We’re going through a cost of living crisis. People are hurting and they need a member of Congress who is focused on bringing some help from Washington,” said Rodriguez. “Our current congresswoman, voted to cut people off their health care benefits, voted to cut people, cut children off their SNAP benefits, she has gone along with the Trump economic policies that I think have failed us,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is challenging the incumbent Salazar for Florida’s 27th congressional seat.
“I vote whatever is good for the constituents of District number 27,” said Salazar. “I’m serving the community, whatever the community needs when it comes to affordability, the economy, immigration, transportation and housing.”
Salazar has held the seat since 2021 and leans on her record that she said demonstrates she’s delivered for South Floridians.
“I have brought millions of dollars for more affordable housing for seniors, I voted for that legislation where I allowed for you to pay less taxes, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and specifically for the seniors, the seniors do not pay any more money on their housing,” said Salazar.
A key issue in the race is immigration and the ramped up deportation efforts since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. An issue that Salazar has admitted is turning off critical Latino voters and criticized in a political ad.
“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far. The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today,” said Salazar in a political ad.
Salazar was even called out by members of her own party after the ad was released.
“I did not attack him. The only thing I did was to forewarn him and just to tell him what’s happening in South Florida vis-a-vis immigration,” said Salazar.
Rodriguez thinks the Trump administration’s policies have gone too far, and the congresswoman hasn’t fought against them hard enough.
“She put out that ad because she’s afraid that she’s going to lose and rightfully so,” said Rodriguez. “I’m 100% for border security, but what we’re seeing right now with ICE agents trampling on the rights of people out there who are working for a living and contributing to our economy, and not only that, taking the lives of American citizens, exercising their right to film and their right to protest, that should not be happening in this country.”
Salazar said she’s fought for change in the immigration system for years by putting forward legislation to bring undocumented migrants out of the dark.
“Those people who have been contributing to the economy, that have American children, do not have a criminal record, those people, we need to give them some type of status,” said Salazar.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
