Eliott Rodriguez's campaign attorney, JC Planas, announced on Friday plans to file a lawsuit against Alina Garcia, the Miami-Dade Elections Supervisor. This legal move comes amid the tight vote count in Florida's 27th Congressional District, where the Democratic candidate faces off against Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar.
Although the lawsuit has yet to be officially filed, Planas told WSVN, "We are going to file a lawsuit, and this goes beyond just this election."
The conflict has escalated to the judicial arena while the race remains within the automatic machine recount threshold set by Florida law, with a margin of approximately 1,100 votes separating the candidates.
At the center of the controversy is an alleged familial connection: Rodriguez's campaign claims that Robert Fernandez, Salazar's recount attorney, is Garcia's son-in-law, and that Garcia's daughter works at the same law firm.
Planas argued to WSVN that this situation breaches judicial impartiality standards: "The Canvassing Board operates in a quasi-judicial capacity. If a judge's relative appeared in court as an attorney for one side, the judge would immediately recuse themselves."
The campaign further noted that Garcia declared Salazar the winner on election night before all votes were counted. In a formal letter, Rodriguez's lawyers referenced Garcia's statement reported by the Miami Herald: "María Elvira [Salazar] is the winner, with or without a recount."
The election office dismissed the recusal request. During a press conference on Wednesday, Garcia stated, "I just want voters to understand that everything here is transparent and fair."
When questioned by CBS Miami about Fernandez's potential involvement, she responded, "I don't know, he might be. He practices election law."
Salazar reacted strongly to her opponent's legal maneuvers. In a statement, she accused Rodriguez of acting "like an election denier" and urged him to allow the Canvassing Board and election workers to perform their duties "without undermining public confidence because he dislikes the current outcome."
On Friday, the Miami-Dade Canvassing Board convened to certify provisional ballots and mail-in vote signatures, marking the final step in the county's results certification before Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd can formally order a recount.
The automatic recount is scheduled to commence early next week. Legal deadlines stipulate that its results must be submitted by November 12 at 3:00 p.m., while a potential manual recount — triggered if the margin falls to 0.25% or less — must conclude by noon on November 16.
For Salazar, the current results represent a significant shift, as she previously won the district by over 20 points in 2024 and nearly 15 points in 2022.
Analysts attribute the narrowing race to dissatisfaction among Hispanic voters with deportation policies and the economic situation in a district where 73.5% of the population is Hispanic.
Understanding the Election Lawsuit in Miami-Dade
What is the main reason for the lawsuit against the Miami-Dade Elections Supervisor?
The lawsuit is based on alleged conflicts of interest due to familial connections between the elections supervisor and legal representatives involved in the recount.
What legal steps are being taken as a result of the tight election race?
The tight race has triggered plans for a lawsuit and is within the threshold for an automatic machine recount as per Florida law.
How has the Hispanic vote influenced the Congressional District 27 race?
The Hispanic vote, which makes up 73.5% of the district, has been influenced by dissatisfaction with deportation policies and economic issues, narrowing the race considerably.