39 federal, state, local leaders endorse Eliott Rodriguez for CD 27

Former TV news anchor Eliott Rodriguez’s bid to flip Florida’s 27th Congressional District blue is touting a sweeping list of endorsements from across Miami-Dade County’s political and civic landscape.

Their combined nods, along with Rodriguez’s strong first-quarter fundraising in the Democratic Primary and polling showing him leading the race, highlight broad — or, as his camp tells it, consolidating — support behind his candidacy.

Rodriguez’s roster of endorsers includes a blend of current officeholders, former elected officials and prominent civic figures, many with deep roots in the communities that make up CD 27.

Current officials backing Rodriguez include Senate Democratic Leader-designate Shevrin Jones, Miami-Dade Public Defender Carlos Martinez and Miami-Dade School Board member Joe Geller.

Others include South Miami Mayor Javier Fernandez, South Miami Commissioners Steve Calle and Danny Rodriguez, Key Biscayne Council members Franklin Caplan and Fernando Vazquez, and Palmetto Bay Council member Steve Cody.

They are joined by numerous former officeholders. At the federal level, Rodriguez’s supporters include former U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, and former U.S. Ambs. Michael Adler and Frank Mora.

State-level supporters include former Florida lawmakers Annie Betancourt, J.C. Planas and Cindy Lerner, who also served as Mayor of Pinecrest.

Other ex-Mayors who threw their support Rodriguez’s way included Peggy Bell and Pall Vrooman of Cutler Bay, Manny Diaz of Miami, Mike Davey and John Festa of Key Biscayne, Horace Feliu of South Miami, Eugene Flinn of Palmetto Bay, Evelyn Greer of Pinecrest, Raul Martinez of Hialeah, and Don Slesnick and Raul Valdés-Fauli of Coral Gables.

Rodriguez also received endorsements from former Key Biscayne Vice Mayor Allison McCormick, former Palmetto Bay Vice Mayor Leanne Tellam, former Coral Gables Commissioner Pat Keon, former Pinecrest Council members James McDonald and Bob Ross, former Miami Commissioners Ken Russell and Marc Sarnoff, and former Miami Springs Commissioner Victor Vazquez-Hernandez.

Retired 11th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Joseph P. Farina is backing Rodriguez too, as are former Knight Foundation President and Miami Herald publisher Albert Ibargüen, Miami Dade College President Emeritus Eduardo Padrón, former World Bank executive director Felice Gorordo and former Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chair Juan Cuba.

Rodriguez’s campaign emphasized that several endorsers — including Jones, Caplan and Davey — had previously aligned with other Democratic candidates in the Primary but have since shifted their support.

Rodriguez said the wave of endorsements reflects swelling support for his candidacy across neighborhoods in the district.

“When leaders who have spent their lives serving every neighborhood and every family across this district come together like this, it carries a special responsibility,” Rodriguez said in a statement.

“I’m deeply honored by their trust. This is about bringing seriousness, integrity, and a focus on people’s everyday challenges back to public service — and building a campaign worthy of the community we all love.”

Rodriguez entered the race in March and quickly emerged as a front-runner in internal polling. A survey conducted last month showed him with 43% support in the Primary — a 27-point lead over former federal prosecutor Robin Peguero, with other candidates trailing and more than a quarter of voters undecided.

Fundraising data also points to a competitive Democratic contest. Peguero led first-quarter fundraising with $342,600, while Rodriguez raised $312,000 despite entering late in the reporting period, according to federal filings.

Still, the eventual Democratic nominee will face a formidable incumbent. Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar raised $451,100 in the first quarter and has brought in about $1.4 million this cycle, ending March with nearly $2 million on hand.

CD 27, one of three Florida districts that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has highlighted as “in play,” covers Miami, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Key Biscayne, Pinecrest, North Bay Village, South Miami, West Miami and several unincorporated areas.

Salazar has represented the district since 2020, when she supplanted Democrat Donna Shalala.

The Primary is on Aug. 18, followed by the General Election on Nov. 3.