Recount scheduled in race for Florida's 27th Congressional District amid pending lawsuit
The congressional race between Democrat and former CBS News Miami anchor Eliott Rodriguez and incumbent Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar is officially headed for a recount.
A press release shared Sunday afternoon from the office of Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia confirmed that the recount, as ordered by the Florida Secretary of State, will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9, at the office's headquarters on Northwest 87th Avenue in Doral. The full notice, posted online, lists Garcia as one of the three canvassing board members.
The closely watched race in Florida's 27th Congressional district includes parts of Miami, Coral Gables, Kendall, Key Biscayne, Pinecrest, and surrounding communities. Salazar, a former television journalist, has represented the Miami-Dade County-based district in Congress since 2021. She first won the seat in 2020 after defeating Democratic U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala.
Rodriguez entered politics in 2026 after a nearly five-decade career in television news. He spent 25 years at CBS News Miami before leaving the station and announcing his campaign for Congress in March.
The recount itself is also drawing scrutiny from Rodriguez; he has called for Garcia to recuse herself from overseeing the recount, citing comments declaring the incumbent the winner and an alleged family link to the opposing recount attorney. His campaign's legal team formally sued to remove Garcia from ballot and recount decisions.
In a formal legal letter sent to Oren Rosenthal, general counsel for the county elections department, attorney Jason B. Blank argued that Garcia's public statements and potential personal conflicts undermine public trust in the recount's neutrality. The Rodriguez campaign pointed directly to comments Garcia reportedly made on election night, as reported by the Miami Herald: "María Elvira is the winner, with or without a recount."
Attorneys for the campaign argued that an election official tasked with maintaining neutrality during canvassing board proceedings cannot prejudge the outcome before ballots are retabulated.
Garcia responded to the recusal demand on a phone call with CBS News Miami, saying, "I will not recuse myself. There is no conflict."
The letter also raised ethical concerns regarding Salazar's recount counsel, noting the campaign received information indicating that Robert Fernandez, the attorney reportedly representing Salazar during the recount, is Garcia's son-in-law. Fernandez and his wife, Garcia's daughter, Alyn Fernandez, were at the Miami-Dade Elections Department as officials reviewed ballots requiring closer scrutiny. Fernandez said the process is open to observers and that his role doesn't create a conflict.
"There is no conflict of interest here," he said.
The campaign requested immediate confirmation regarding the family ties and Fernandez's official role. Blank wrote that if confirmed, the relationship presents a serious conflict of interest that bars Garcia from participating in canvassing decisions affecting a candidate represented by an immediate relative.
When asked over the phone about her son-in-law's involvement with Salazar's counsel, she said: "I don't know, he could be. He does practice election law."
The suit further questions Garcia's impartiality. It also cites her political affiliations and a photograph with Salazar.
"The Supervisor's participation as a voting member in the CD27 ballot and recount determinations presents a serious, objective risk of bias," the lawsuit states.
Garcia rejected the idea that the photograph showed her campaigning for Salazar.
"I take pictures with whoever asks me for a picture," Garcia told CBS News Miami. She said it was taken during a visit to Washington in May 2025.
"There is a picture that I took with Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar when I visited D.C.," Garcia said.
In a statement shared Sunday afternoon, Rodriguez said he welcomes the recount and will have no further comment on the election or its outcome until all the votes are counted and the final results are certified.
"Whatever the final outcome, I will respect the will of the voters. That is what our democracy requires, and that is what the people of Congressional District 27 deserve," part of his statement reads.