race to represent District 27<\/a>, which stretches from downtown Miami to Cutler Bay.<\/p>\nAt first glance, the two have similar backgrounds, as they were both born in the U.S. to Cuban immigrant parents and had long broadcast journalism careers locally.<\/p>\n
In 1995, Republican incumbent Salazar famously interviewed Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe voters will have a very clear choice between a socialist and someone who will have to follow that ideology, and myself, and they know me already,\u201d said Salazar.<\/p>\n
However, her Democratic opponent hopes to unseat her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are dead even, and she\u2019s worried because she won this district by 20% a couple years ago,\u201d said Rodriguez. \u201cShe knows that now she is in danger of losing because she\u2019s not doing her job; she needs to be replaced.\u201d<\/p>\n
Salazar, who has held the seat since 2021, has leaned on her record that she said shows she has delivered for South Floridians.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have brought millions of dollars for more affordable housing for seniors. I voted for that legislation where I allowed for you to pay less taxes, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and specifically for the seniors, that the seniors do not pay any more money on their housing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
But Rodriguez said the congresswoman hasn\u2019t fought hard enough on key issues like immigration.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am 100% for that, and I am 100% for border security, but what we\u2019re seeing right now with [United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents trampling on the rights of people out there who are working for a living and contributing to our economy,\u201d said Rodriguez. \u201cAnd not only that, taking the lives of American citizens exercising their right to film and their right to protest. That should not be happening in this country. It\u2019s un-American.\u201d<\/p>\n
Salazar was expected to be in Key Biscayne to make her final push to voters Tuesday.<\/p>\n
At this time, public polling has Salazar ahead or Rodriguez by three points, but that is subject to change as voters submit their ballots.<\/p>\n
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