Ryan Nicol
Former Vice President Joe Biden is supporting Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala as she seeks a second term representing Florida’s 27th Congressional District. The Alliance for Retired Americans, a 501(c)(4) organization backed by the AFL-CIO, is also endorsing Shalala.
This is the second race in the region the Democratic presidential nominee has recently stepped into. In late September, Biden backed Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in Florida’s 26th Congressional District.
Mucarsel-Powell’s reelection contest appears to be more closely contested than Shalala’s. But a Shalala win isn’t a sure thing. She defeated Republican candidate Maria Elvira Salazar in 2018 by 6 percentage points. Now, the two are facing off again.
“Donna Shalala is a proven leader who has served South Florida and the entire country with integrity,” Biden said in a Tuesday statement.
“She’s not afraid to reach across the aisle to get things done for her constituents. Now more than ever, we need Donna’s experience in expanding affordable health care. I am proud to support Donna Shalala for Congress.”
Biden’s decision to support the Democrat isn’t surprising. However, his decision to wade into the race shows an effort to highlight what could be a fairly close race.
“I am honored to receive the endorsement from our next President, Joe Biden,” Shalala added. “Joe will continue fighting for affordable, high-quality health care, and I look forward to joining with him as we work to strengthen the [Affordable Care Act] and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions.”
The Alliance for Retired Americans was formed in 2001. The group represents more than 4.4 million retirees.
“I am honored to once again receive the endorsement from the Alliance for Retired Americans, which works tirelessly to protect the rights of Florida’s retirees,” Shalala said.
“I will never stop fighting for our older Americans, as I continue to work to strengthen Social Security, Medicare, and hard-earned retirement benefits.”
Shalala is the former University of Miami president. She also served as the head of the Clinton Foundation. Though she’s a freshman member of the House, she has longtime political ties. Shalala served as Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Bill Clinton administration.
Salazar was born in Miami after her parents fled the Fidel Castro regime in Cuba. She spent decades as a broadcaster on Spanish-language TV before seeking the CD 27 seat last cycle.
Frank Polo Sr. has also qualified for the contest as a write-in candidate, though is not expected to mount a significant challenge for the seat.
CD 27 covers parts of Miami-Dade County including Coral Gables and Miami Beach.
