María Elvira Salazar wins Florida's 27th district, secures 54% of vote

GOP Rep. María Elvira Salazar won re‑election in Florida’s 27th congressional district on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Jose Martinez in a race that drew national attention. The district, which is largely Hispanic and based in Miami, had voted for Donald Trump by 15 points in the presidential contest earlier this year. Salazar secured about 54 % of the vote to Martinez’s 46 %, according to preliminary counts from the Florida Division of Elections.

The win matters because it shows that a Republican who has publicly criticized Trump can still pull off a victory in a district that gave the former president a comfortable margin. Salazar has been a vocal critic of Trump’s immigration policies and his rhetoric, and her campaign focused on practical immigration reform, small‑business support, and a promise to keep the district’s economy strong. Her victory signals that voters are willing to support a GOP representative who distances herself from Trump’s brand of politics, even while remaining firmly in the conservative camp.

The campaign was marked by a tight race and a strong turnout among Hispanic voters. Salazar raised more than $3 million, a large share of it from local Hispanic businesses and community leaders. Martinez’s campaign raised about $1.5 million, largely from national Democratic donors. Salazar’s message of “law‑and‑order” and “economic growth” resonated with voters who felt that Trump’s style was too divisive, while Martinez’s focus on immigration reform failed to gain enough traction. Trump did not endorse Salazar, but she received backing from the Florida Republican Party and a number of conservative media outlets.

In the coming months, Salazar will take her seat in the 118th Congress, where she is set to serve on the House Judiciary and the Committee on Oversight and Reform. She will likely continue to push for immigration reforms that balance border security with humane treatment of migrants, and she may face scrutiny from both pro‑Trump Republicans and more moderate conservatives. Her re‑election could influence the GOP’s strategy in other Hispanic‑majority districts and shape the party’s approach to the upcoming 2026 midterms.