Salazar and Rodriguez face off as young Latino voters in District 27 signal a shift

Two-thirds of Florida Latinos say the country is going in the wrong direction, according to recent polling from Florida International University. This data points to a marked departure from the 2024 election results and suggests a potential change in how young Hispanic voters in Miami-Dade County will cast their ballots in the close race for Congress in District 27.

The district contest pits three-term Republican Representative María Elvira Salazar against Democratic challenger Eliott Rodriguez. Both candidates are Cuban-Americans and former television journalists. The outcome of this race is expected to hinge on the turnout and preferences of the local Latino community.

At the Palmetto Bay voting site, young voters described a sense of division within their community. Miranda, a Cuban-American paralegal who requested that her last name not be published, observed that this election cycle is the first where she has seen Latino voters appear anxious and split. She cited affordability as the primary driver of this tension. "We're not all voting the same this year as usually would," she said. "I do think there's a [Latino voter] tide coming" against President Trump, though she noted she is trying to purchase a first home and finds the process difficult for people in the community right now.

Valentina, a recent Colombian-American college graduate, reported that younger Latinos are breaking away from the voting patterns of their parents and families. She stated that many feel let down and betrayed by the current administration. "So they're doing their own research this time and not just going off what other people in their families might think," Valentina said, adding that these voters want to ensure their voices are heard.

Not all voters shared this assessment of a shift. Oscar Sosa, a Cuban-American, argued that polling data has been inaccurate and that the community in South Florida will continue to support the Republican Party. "Latinos are with the Republican Party 100%," Sosa said. He criticized narratives about racial voting blocks as a way to divide the country.

Teresita Alvarez, an 82-year-old Cuban-American who arrived in the United States in 1966, agreed with Sosa's view. Speaking in Spanish, she described Cuban and Latino voters as confused and divided. "I have always voted Republican and I'm certainly going to vote with my Republican president," she said. "It's much simpler."

The election takes place on November 3, 2026. Voters in District 27 are currently casting ballots in a race that polls suggest will be closely contested.