Lawyer Vincent Michael Arias, 68, is running for Florida's 27th Congressional District, facing current representative María Elvira Salazar in the Republican primaries on August 18.
Lawyer Vincent Michael Arias, owner of a law firm in Coral Gables, has announced his candidacy to challenge federal representative María Elvira Salazar in the Republican primaries for Florida's 27th Congressional District. The district encompasses parts of Miami-Dade and is home to a significant Cuban and Latino community.
Arias, 68, argues that the time has come for a change in the constituency. "I believe it is time for a change. If you look at the resumes and experience, I am far above all the other candidates running right now," he told Local 10.
One of the candidate's priorities is to reduce the federal deficit. Arias links the growth of public spending to rising inflation and the loss of purchasing power for families. "Part of the solution starts with reducing the deficit. It is out of control. It is causing very high inflation, and I know this from my experience in finance," he stated.
The candidate has also criticized the performance of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He believes there are training issues within the agency and calls for more comprehensive training for its agents. "We have ICE arresting and shooting people in the streets. One of the problems could be inadequate training," he pointed out.
While he supports the detention and deportation of individuals without immigration authorization, he advocates prioritising violent offenders and ensuring dignified treatment during arrest and expulsion processes.
On her part, María Elvira Salazar, 64, has maintained immigration positions that sometimes align with those of Democratic lawmakers. The congresswoman has urged the Trump administration to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Venezuelan citizens. She was also a co-author of the Dignity Act, a proposal to reform the immigration system, expedite asylum processing, and provide a solution for long-standing immigrants.
"It is necessary legislation in this country to fix the broken immigration system once and for all, and TPS is part of that," Salazar stated on the program "This Week in South Florida."
The representative also defended her vote in favour of $25 million for federal projects in her district, although she rejected the overall spending bill. "I represent the interests of my constituents," she responded when questioned.
Among Salazar's legislative achievements is the Take It Down Act, which penalises the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, including those generated by artificial intelligence. She has also collaborated on the Dispose Act, aimed at curbing fentanyl trafficking before it crosses the border.
In terms of funding, Salazar holds a significant advantage: she has raised over $1.95 million, compared to Arias's nearly $134,000. In the Democratic field, former federal prosecutor Robin Peguero leads fundraising with over $1.02 million, followed by Richard Lamondin Jr. ($743,700), Eliott Rodríguez ($616,700), Michael Davey ($45,190), and Alexander Fornino ($25,150).
The Florida primaries will be held on August 18, with the general election taking place on November 3. The deadline to register or change party affiliation is July 20. Early voting is scheduled from August 8 to 15, and the deadline to request a mail-in ballot is August 6.
For voters in District 27, these dates are crucial for participating in the electoral process. With a significant financial gap, the contest between Arias and Salazar promises to be a barometer of the priorities of the Republican electorate in South Florida.
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