Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar cast her early vote this Saturday in Coral Gables, Florida. She took to Facebook to share a video highlighting an unexpectedly high turnout for a midterm election and urged Hispanic voters to head to the polls before Tuesday, November 3rd.
“Today is a glorious day for me because I just left one of the polling stations, and it's packed. I have never seen so many people lining up for a midterm election,” Salazar stated, visibly excited.
Salazar framed the election not as a battle between parties but as a clash of ideologies. “We are not voting for one party or another; we are voting between two ideologies. Unfortunately, a socialist ideology has infiltrated the Democratic Party,” she asserted.
The congresswoman drew a clear line, defining the election as such: “Republicans are not perfect, but we are not communists.”
Her message was specifically directed at the Latino electorate residing in Florida’s 27th Congressional District, a constituency with approximately 73.5% Hispanic population, which includes Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, and parts of Miami-Dade.
“The Cuban, Venezuelan, Colombian, Nicaraguan, and Central American votes know that socialism brings nothing good,” she remarked, referencing the experiences of those who emigrated from countries under leftist regimes.
Salazar is seeking a fourth consecutive term as the representative for FL-27, in what is shaping up to be one of South Florida’s most competitive races. Her opponent is Eliott Rodríguez, a Cuban-American journalist and former CBS Miami anchor for 25 years, who clinched the Democratic primary in August with 53.5% of the votes.
The latest poll, conducted by RedBox Research from October 20 to 23, placed Salazar at 49% against Rodríguez’s 46%, keeping the race highly competitive.
On the same day Salazar voted, President Donald Trump formally endorsed her via Truth Social, praising her "great job" and expressing his "full and total endorsement." This support came after weeks of tension sparked by Salazar’s criticisms of mass deportations and her advocacy for a proposal to regularize immigrants without criminal backgrounds, which led Trump to label her as "soft" on border issues.
The high early voting turnout in Miami-Dade supports Salazar's enthusiasm: as of October 27, more than 300,000 votes had been cast in the county, representing 22.92% of active registered voters.
In-person early voting in Miami-Dade continues through this Sunday at 28 centers, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., ahead of the general election day on Tuesday, November 3rd.
“I want you to get off the couch, go vote, and make sure you preserve those rights for your children,” Salazar concluded, urging voters to take action.
Key Information on the 2023 Midterm Elections
Why is María Elvira Salazar emphasizing high voter turnout?
Salazar is highlighting the high voter turnout to energize and motivate more voters, particularly within the Hispanic community, to participate in the upcoming election.
What distinguishes the current election according to Salazar?
Salazar describes the election as a clash of ideologies, emphasizing that it is not merely a choice between political parties but a decision between ideologies, highlighting her opposition to socialist influences within the Democratic Party.
Who is Salazar's opponent in the election?
Salazar's opponent is Eliott Rodríguez, a Cuban-American journalist and former CBS Miami anchor, who won the Democratic primary in August.