MIAMI – Maria Elvira Salazar, a Cuban-American journalist, won the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 27, Miami-Dade County Elections officials reported on Tuesday night.
With 40.51 percent of the votes, the former bilingual television commentator and talk show host defeated Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro, who had 25.67 percent of the votes.
She also beat former Doral Commissioner Bettina Rodriguez-Aguilera, Republican political consultant Stephen Marks, children’s advocate Angie Chirino, doctoral student Elizabeth Adadi, Michael Ohevzion, Maria Peiro and real estate agent Gina Sosa.
"The ones who were my viewers now became my voters," Salazar said while celebrating with Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz-Balart in Miami's Little Havana.
Salazar, 56, will face off against former University of Miami president Donna Shalala to replace the retiring Ros-Lehtinen, a moderate Republican who held the seat for 28 years. The district covers the cities of Miami, Miami Beach and Coral Gables and parts of Miami-Dade County.