Coral Gables Attorney Mounts Primary Challenge Against U.S. Rep. Salazar in Florida’s 27th District

Vincent Michael Arias, a 68-year-old attorney with a private law practice in Coral Gables, is mounting a Republican primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar for Florida’s 27th Congressional District. Arias, citing a need for leadership change, emphasized his extensive background in finance and government service, including prior work as an SEC enforcement attorney and assistant state attorney in Orlando.

Salazar captured the seat in 2020 by defeating Democrat Donna Shalala, a former Secretary of Health and Human Services. The incumbent, a retired broadcast journalist and author who assumed office in 2021, is competing against seven total candidates in the primary, including five Democrats, with voting scheduled for August 18.

Arias has centered his campaign message on fiscal responsibility and deficit reduction, arguing that lowering the deficit is essential to combating inflation. He has also criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, calling for improved agent training and more humane handling of illegal border crossers, while prioritizing the deportation of violent offenders.

Salazar has advocated for immigration reform that includes extending temporary protected status for Haitians and Venezuelans through co-authorship of the Dignity Act to expedite asylum processing. Among her legislative accomplishments are the Take It Down Act, which criminalizes nonconsensual sharing of intimate images, and work with Democrats on the Dispose Act targeting fentanyl trafficking.

Campaign finance reports reveal significant fundraising disparities among candidates. As of Tuesday afternoon, Salazar led with over $1.95 million in receipts, while Arias reported nearly $134,000. Among Democratic candidates, former federal prosecutor Robin Peguero raised the most donations with over $1.02 million, followed by Richard Lamondin Jr. at more than $743,700 and Eliott Rodriguez at over $616,700.

The mail-in ballot request deadline is August 6, with the primary election on August 18 and the general election on November 3.