U.S. House, Florida 27th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Florida's 27th Congressional District?
Maria Elvira Salazar has the strongest record in Florida's 27th Congressional District. Maria Elvira Salazar scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Maria Elvira Salazar's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Eliott Rodriguez (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Eliott Rodriguez
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 5 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 63
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Maria Elvira Salazar
65 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 63
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Eliott Rodriguez
- On the record2026-08-21
After winning the Democratic primary, he proposed three televised general election debates with Rep. Salazar, two in English and one in Spanish, and asked her campaign to respond by Sept. 1.
- Credit2025-11
Retired from CBS Miami in December 2025 after 25 years at the station, with three Emmy Awards, four Edward R. Murrow Awards and a NATAS Silver Circle Award.
Source: CBS News Miami, Nov. 2025
Maria Elvira Salazar
- Mark against2020-06-29
The FEC closed an administrative fine case against her 2018 campaign committee with an $11,799 penalty for 48-hour contribution notices.
Source: FEC administrative fines search
- On the record2026-04-15
Voted for the April 2026 discharge motion to force a House vote on temporary protected status for Haiti when Speaker Johnson and Leader Scalise voted against it.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 113, 2026
- Credit2025-05
Sponsored the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which GovTrack lists among her enacted bills.
Source: GovTrack, enacted legislation
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Eliott Rodriguez. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Maria Elvira Salazar. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 was filed Aug. 13, 2026 after an extension. No House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075495, House Committee on Ethics site search for Salazar
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. Sponsors the Dignity Act, criticized by conservative voices, and in 2026 voted with discharge efforts on Haiti temporary protected status and a bipartisan policy package against Speaker Johnson and Leader Scalise.
Sources: WLRN, Oct. 5, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 113, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 4, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. A broadcast journalist for decades and in Congress since 2021. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Maria Elvira Salazar, House Committee on Ethics site search for Salazar
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. Took office in 2021; she does not appear on the January 2021 roll calls on objections to certified electors, after testing positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 31, 2020. No misuse-of-office finding found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Eliott Rodriguez. A journalist for about 50 years, including 25 years as a CBS Miami anchor from 1999 to 2025. Has not held public office.
Sources: CBS News Miami, Nov. 2025, WLRN, Oct. 5, 2026
Maria Elvira Salazar. In the U.S. House since January 2021, now seeking a fourth term; earlier a television journalist and anchor.
Sources: GovTrack, Maria Salazar, Ballotpedia, Maria Elvira Salazar
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Eliott Rodriguez. Has stated positions in interviews on immigration enforcement, health insurance subsidies and tariffs, in general terms.
Sources: WLRN, Oct. 5, 2026, WLRN, July 13, 2026
Maria Elvira Salazar. Chairs the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere; sponsor of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, enacted in 2025.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. Offers an e-newsletter and publishes issue pages, including on her Dignity Act. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Maria Elvira Salazar
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Eliott Rodriguez. Moved to Miami at 12, attended school and raised his family in the district, and says he is a lifelong resident of it. FEC by-state totals show about 91 percent of itemized individual contributions from Florida.
Sources: WLRN, July 13, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Maria Elvira Salazar. Born in Miami and a longtime South Florida broadcaster; FEC by-state totals show about 83 percent of itemized individual contributions from Florida.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Maria Elvira Salazar, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Eliott Rodriguez. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Maria Elvira Salazar. The FEC assessed an $11,799 administrative fine against her 2018 campaign committee for 48-hour contribution notices, closed June 29, 2020.
Source: FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. Legislative Effectiveness Score meets expectations in the 118th Congress (1.78 against a 1.46 benchmark), and she sponsored the TAKE IT DOWN Act and three other enacted bills.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. Missed 221 of 2,907 roll call votes, 7.6 percent, from January 2021 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. Keeps a main district office in Miami open weekdays plus appointment offices in Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay, and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, Contact, Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 1.72481 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 11, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Eliott Rodriguez. No public record found.
Maria Elvira Salazar. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Florida's 27th Congressional District?
Maria Elvira Salazar has the strongest record in Florida's 27th Congressional District. Maria Elvira Salazar scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Maria Elvira Salazar's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Eliott Rodriguez (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Florida's 27th Congressional District in 2026?
Eliott Rodriguez (Democratic), Maria Elvira Salazar (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Eliott Rodriguez a good candidate for Congress?
Eliott Rodriguez has public evidence on 5 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Maria Elvira Salazar a good candidate for Congress?
Maria Elvira Salazar scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Florida race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Florida 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.