Jacob Ogles
U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar sits on nearly $1.7 million in cash to once again defend her battleground seat.
The Coral Gables Republican reported almost $370,000 in new funds during the second quarter for her re-election campaign in Florida’s 27th Congressional District. That brings her total fundraising for the cycle to about $467,000.
But after raising more than $3.2 million ahead of her re-election campaign last year and spending less than $1.9 million, she wrapped 2024 with money in the bank. And she closed the second quarter this year with more than $1.69 million for her run next year.
That’s more than any other Florida House member representing a targeted district in 2026. The campaign does still list $14,300 in debt.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee earlier this year listed Salazar’s seat among its GOP-held “Districts in Play.”
And Democrats are starting to build resources to take on Salazar next year. Miami-Dade Democrat Richard Lamondin last week announced he had raised more than $250,000 to challenge Salazar since launching his campaign in May.
Additionally, Democrat Alexander Fornino has also reported raising more than $21,000 to run. A Democratic Primary is scheduled for August 2026 to determine a nominee. No other candidate reported any fundraising in the second quarter.
That further sets up CD 27 as one of Florida’s most enduring battlegrounds.
Salazar unseated Democratic U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala in 2020, two years after losing to Shalala when running for an open seat.
Since her election to Congress, Salazar has been unsuccessfully targeted each election cycle. Democrats hope that with Republican President Donald Trump in the White House, they can capitalize on outrage in the Midterms and retake a majority in the House.
But since her 2020 win, Miami-Dade has only become more Republican-friendly. In November, Trump won a majority of votes in the county, the first time a GOP presidential candidate has done that in the 21st century.
