Former prosecutor Robin Peguero just landed an endorsement from Miami-Dade County School Board member Joe Geller as Peguero seeks to supplant Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar.

Geller, who previously served in the Florida House, as Mayor of North Bay and as Chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, said in a statement that Peguero “will fight for you and me in Congress.”

“Robin will fight for lower costs and affordable healthcare and housing. He’ll fight to defend the rule of law and our democracy. He’ll fight to give all our families a fair shot at the American Dream,” Geller said.

“Robin will take back this seat in Congress — and I’m proud to endorse him.”

The nod from Geller joins others from Key Biscayne Council member Franklin Caplan, Coral Gables Commissioner Melissa Castro, Cutler Bay Council member B.J. Duncan, former U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala, former state Reps. Annie Betancourt and J.C. Planas, and ex-Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey, who withdrew from the race for Florida’s 27th Congressional District and immediately endorsed Peguero in August.

Peguero also carries support from CHC Bold PAC, the campaign apparatus of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which prioritizes increasing Latino representation in Congress.

A former federal homicide prosecutor born to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, Peguero’s government bona fides include a stint as an investigator for the congressional Jan. 6 Committee and work as Chief of Staff to U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey, a Maryland Democrat.

Today, he works as a novelist and professor at St. Thomas University College of Law.

Peguero will face at least two CD 27 Primary opponents: accountant Alexander Fornino and entrepreneur Richard Lamondin.

Through the last reporting period that ended Sept. 30, Peguero raised $330,000, while Lamondin amassed $453,000 and Fornino collected $25,000.

Salazar, meanwhile, has amassed $681,000 since winning re-election to a third term last year by 21 percentage points. She also has more than $1.64 million in reserve, Federal Election Commission records show.

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.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has named two new members to the Florida Athletic Commission, which oversees and licenses the state’s combat sports activities, like boxing, mixed martial arts and kickboxing.

Both — Alan Suskey and Cody Vanlandingham — gave thousands to his federal political action committee, Restore Our Nation (RON) PAC, Federal Election Commission records show.

Suskey is a lobbyist and U.S. Army veteran who works as Executive Vice President of Shumaker Advisors, a government advocacy firm with multiple locations across Florida, five other states and Washington, D.C.

He is a current Board member of Florida is for Veterans and has served on the Boards of the St. Petersburg Pier Aquarium, St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, CareerSource Pinellas and Veterans Florida, among other involvements.

Suskey, who earned a degree in political science from American Military University, has made about $51,000 worth of federal-level contributions, including $3,300 to RON PAC one day after DeSantis launched his unsuccessful bid for President in 2023.

Suskey gave $7,000 to U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, $8,000 to U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee, $2,000 to U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean and about $3,500 to former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, a prominent Democratic candidate for Governor, when Jolly was still a Republican.

Since 2009, Suskey has also donated more than $89,000 to state-level political candidates, the overwhelming share of whom were Republican. His largest single donation was a $23,000 check to Senate President Ben Albritton’s political committee in 2023. He also gave $1,250 to former House Speaker Chris Sprowls, $2,250 to former Speaker Paul Renner and $116 to DeSantis’ now-closed political committee, Empower Parents, whose Chair, CFO Blaise Ingoglia, also received $1,000 from Suskey.

Suskey is heavily involved in The Process, also donating to Democratic lawmakers including state Sens. Tina Scott Polsky, Darryl Rouson and Jason Pizzo — who has since become an independent — and former state Reps. Ramon Alexander and Rick Kriseman.

Vanlandingham, a doctor with the Tallahassee Medical Group, gave $9,900 to RON PAC within a week of DeSantis’ presidential announcement.

Florida records show no state-level campaign donation activity by Vanlandingham, who doesn’t appear to be registered to vote.

Vanlandingham’s community involvements are many, according to the Governor’s Office, which noted his membership to the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, Capital Medical Society and College of Medicine Selection Committee at Florida State University, where he earned his medical degree.

Suskey and Vanlandingham’s appointments, made late last week, are subject to Senate confirmation.