Ryan Nicol
Entrepreneur Richard Lamondin is floating with a potential run in Florida’s 27th Congressional District, where the Democrat would look to flip a seat belonging to Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar.
Lamondin, the co-founder and CEO of environmental services company ecofi, issued a statement responding to what he describes as “encouragement” to mount a campaign for the seat in Miami-Dade County.
“As a proud native Miamian and firm believer in the power of our democracy, the promise of the American Dream, and the duty we have to protect one another, I’m grateful for the encouragement to run for Congress,” Lamondin wrote.
“Our communities are calling for action, not empty political slogans. It’s time to focus on making life more affordable, protecting our neighbors, and giving small businesses and working families a real chance to rise. My success didn’t happen overnight. Like many of my neighbors, I have struggled with medical debt and the rising costs of insurance, housing, and child care. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
Lamondin’s statement follows a memo from Democratic consultant Christian Ulvert arguing that Democratic performance in two Special Elections for Congress this month shows that Democrats can compete in CD 27 and elsewhere in 2026.
“Given the numbers we’ve seen over the last two months, and most recently on April 1, Democrats are over-performing by an average of 18 points across jurisdictions, putting districts like CD 27 squarely on the map,” Ulvert wrote.
“Now, it’s up to the national and state parties, along with the party committees to invest swiftly to create the environment Democrats need to win next November.”
Salazar also landed on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s list of vulnerable Republicans, whom the group will target in the upcoming cycle.
To that end, Lamondin said he’ll consider throwing his hat into the ring.
“In the coming weeks, I’ll be having serious conversations about the issues that truly matter and how I can use my decade of entrepreneurial experience and community work to better support the people of South Florida,” Lamondin said.
“It’s time for new leaders who show up, work hard, stand up for what’s right, and find common ground.”
Lamondin graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in international relations. Endeavor Miami has named him its Entrepreneur of the Year, and he also landed on the South Florida Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.
In addition to his work with ecofi, Lamondin serves on multiple boards, including Project Transforming Hope, Engage Miami, and the ADAPT Foundation.
Salazar won races in CD 27 by nearly 21 points and almost 15 points in 2024 and 2022, respectively.
However, in the April 1 Special Elections, Democrats chipped away at Donald Trump’s November margins in Florida’s 1st and 6th Congressional Districts by 15-plus points, potentially putting seats like Salazar’s in play.
