(The Center Square) - A race for U.S. House in Florida will come down to the difference between candidates' views on immigration and gas prices with control of Congress on the line.
The race between incumbent Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., and Democratic candidate Eliott Rodriguez has narrowed in recent weeks as President Donald Trump’s popularity wanes. The Florida legislature passed a redrawn congressional map in April that is designed to give Republicans an advantage in as many as four U.S. House seats.
Republican incumbents in several districts unaffected by redistricting are facing strong opposition. The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement appears to be a sticking point for many Republicans across the country, including Salazar.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 54.3% of residents in Florida’s 27th Congressional District were born outside of the United States. Roughly 91% of those residents are from Latin America.
Rodriguez has repeatedly slammed Salazar for supporting the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. He called for restoring protections for Haitian and Syrian immigrants with temporary protected status and increased asylum processing capabilities.
“Eliott supports a secure border, law and order, faster and more orderly immigration processing, the removal of people who pose genuine threats, and comprehensive reform for immigrants who work, obey the law, and contribute to their communities,” Rodriguez wrote on his website.
Salazar appeared to recognize growing discontent among the immigrant community. She released a TV advertisement calling on the president to enact comprehensive immigration reform.
“The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today. You can be for immigration what Lincoln was for slavery and Reagan was for communism,” Salazar said in the TV ad. “I'm not talking about giving them amnesty. I'm talking about giving them a dignified life in this promised land.”
Rodriguez slammed Salazar’s comments in the advertisement and said she fully supported the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies in 2024.
“Now we have fear, and we have economic distress in our community because of this immigration policy that she is now trying to back away from,” Rodriguez said. “We can't let her do that, because these are all the policies that she has supported."
In 2025, Salazar sponsored the Dignity Act, legislation to establish a seven-year temporary legal status program as long as migrants pass a criminal background check, pay $7,000 in restitution and receive no federal benefit or entitlement programs. The program would prevent migrants from being deported during the seven year period and provide full funding for security at the border.
"The Dignity Act of 2025 is a revolutionary bill that offers the solution to our immigration crisis: secure the border, stop illegal immigration, and provide an earned opportunity for long-term immigrants to stay here and work," said Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla.
Salazar has also faced pressure amid soaring gas prices across the country. As a member of Congress, Rodriguez said he would pressure the Trump administration to end the U.S. military conflict in Iran and negotiate a nuclear deal with experts between the two countries.
He criticized the administration's efforts to develop 17 oil fields in Venezuela containing an estimated 65 billion barrels of oil. Trump said the resources could be used to replenish the nation’s domestic supply, which has dwindled since the beginning of the Iran conflict.
"This is not only a shameful portrayal of the Venezuelan people, it's also a betrayal of everyone who has condemned socialism," Rodriguez said.
Salazar initially criticized the Trump administration’s deal on social media but later deleted the post, according to multiple reports. She uploaded a separate post praising the deal but questioning Venezuela’s leader, Delcy Rodriguez.
“For years, China took advantage of Venezuela’s weakness to buy its oil at deep discounts,” Salazar wrote. “Now America is stepping in, and American investment and influence offer Venezuela a path toward prosperity, stability, and security.”
Salazar leads in fundraising with more than $1.9 million in contributions compared to Rodriguez with $661,000. She received $36,000 from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee PAC, $7,000 from Jose Gaes, CEO of TechnoGlass and $7,000 from Alex Kleyner, CEO of National Debt Relief.
Rodriguez received $38,000 from ActBlue, an online fundraising platform for Democratic candidates and $7,000 from David Topping, CEO of ABC Management.
Early in-person voting is available from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
For more information, visit the Florida Department of State at dos.fl.gov. For information on other candidates throughout Florida and results on Election Day, visit thecentersquare.com/florida.
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