Maria Elvira Salazar
Maria Elvira Salazar, a former television journalist, has represented the 27th District since January 2021. She is the lead Republican sponsor of the bipartisan Dignity Act immigration bill (H.R. 4393, reintroduced July 2025 with Rep. Veronica Escobar). She won the Aug. 18, 2026 Republican primary with 81.3% of the vote over Coral Gables attorney V. Michael Arias (18.7%). In September 2026 she aired a campaign ad saying the administration's immigration enforcement has 'gone too far.'
How they got on the ballot: Won Aug 18, 2026 Republican primary with 81.3% over V. Michael Arias (18.7%) (CBS Miami; Florida Politics)
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Taxes & spending Strongly agrees· based on record
Salazar voted for H.R. 1 (2025), calling it 'a historic win' with 'game-changing tax relief for working families,' including extended tax cuts and no tax on tips and overtime.
"Game-changing tax relief for working families"
Immigration Mixed / neutral· stated position
Salazar voted for the Laken Riley Act and describes her Dignity Act as 'enforcement first' with 'zero tolerance for criminals' and permanent border security, but the bill would also give long-term undocumented immigrants earned legal status ('No amnesty. No handouts. No citizenship.'). In a September 2026 ad she said the administration's immigration enforcement has 'gone too far,' and she has asked for deferred action for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.
"No amnesty. No handouts. No citizenship."
Guns Leans disagree· stated position
In Vote Smart's candidate survey Salazar said 'I 100% support the 2nd Amendment'; no position on specific measures such as red-flag laws was found.
"I 100% support the 2nd Amendment"
Health care Leans disagree· based on record
Salazar voted for H.R. 1 (2025), which Democrats said would cost about 99,000-100,000 people in her district Medicaid or ACA coverage per CBO projections; her opponent also says she voted against restoring ACA subsidies.
Elections & voting Leans disagree· based on record
Salazar voted for the SAVE Act (H.R. 22, April 2025), which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote (passed 220-208 with every voting Republican in favor).
Energy & utilities Strongly disagrees· based on record
Voted for H.R. 1 (2025), which phased out most Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits and expanded oil and gas leasing.
Ukraine Strongly agrees· based on record
Salazar voted for the $60.8 billion Ukraine Security Supplemental (H.R. 8035, April 2024), one of five Florida Republicans to do so.
Trump administration Mixed / neutral· stated position
Salazar voted for and celebrated the administration's signature 2025 tax-and-spending bill, but in a September 2026 campaign ad said its immigration enforcement has 'gone too far' and that Hispanic voters 'feel betrayed.'
"gone too far"
No public position found on 9 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Housing affordability, Abortion, Social Security & Medicare, Education & school choice, Environment & water, Crime & policing, Gender identity laws, Tariffs & trade, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Abortion: No explicit statement captured as of Sept 2026; scorecards from Reproductive Freedom for All and SBA Pro-Life America exist but their contents were not retrieved.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Dignity Act immigration reform — Lead sponsor of H.R. 4393, which pairs border enforcement with earned legal status (not citizenship) for long-term undocumented immigrants; PolitiFact examined claims that it is 'mass amnesty,' and some Republican colleagues have attacked it.
- Deferred action for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans — She asked the administration for deferred action after humanitarian parole and TPS were revoked.
- Small business — NFIB and the U.S. Chamber endorsed her as a small-business 'champion.'
- No tax on tips and overtime — She highlighted these provisions of H.R. 1.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Voted YES on H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (final passage July 3, 2025).
- Voted YES on the Laken Riley Act (S. 5, Jan. 22, 2025).
- Voted YES on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22, April 10, 2025).
- Voted YES on the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8035, April 20, 2024).
- Lead sponsor of the Dignity Act (H.R. 4393, reintroduced July 15, 2025).
- Aired a September 2026 ad breaking with the administration on immigration enforcement.
- Democrats criticized her H.R. 1 vote, citing CBO projections of about 99,000 district residents losing coverage.
- Voted for H.R. 1 (2025), the budget reconciliation law that extended the 2017 tax cuts, added Medicaid work requirements, reduced clean-energy tax credits and funded expanded immigration enforcement.
Endorsements (as reported)
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business)