The CD27 Democratic primary may not be as done as some people think

Everyone watches Eliott, while Robin Peguero builds momentum

In Miami politics, there’s always the candidate everyone expects to win.

And then there’s the one quietly raising money, stacking endorsements, and daring the establishment to notice.

Right now in the crowded Congressional District 27 race, most of the chatter is about Eliott Rodriguez — the veteran TV anchor turned candidate who just had a fancy Coral Gables fundraiser that had a lot of the right people in the room.

The kind of event that signals: this is the one.

But while the spotlight was fixed on the chandeliers and the guest list, another campaign was busy doing something less flashy — and potentially more dangerous.

Robin Peguero reported that he just crossed $820,000 raised, with more than $340,000 in a single quarter, no corporate PAC money, no self-funding, and over 6,000 individual donors.

That’s not a fluke. That’s infrastructure. And it’s motivational –just like the recent Democratic wins in the Sunshine State.

“We’re seeing across the country that the American people are looking for new and energetic leadership, and that momentum is on our side,” Peguero said in a statement. “Right here in Florida, Democrats were able to flip two deep red seats, including Donald Trump’s home district.

“The path to flipping the House runs through Miami, and I’m ready to take on María Elvira Salazar come November.”

And whether the Rodriguez campaign wants to admit it or not, Peguero is starting to look less like a long shot and more like a potential problem for them.

Everyone in Eliott’s circles expects an easy victory: A familiar face + a known quantity = a smooth glide through the Democratic primary to take on María Elvira Salazar in November.

Instead, what’s emerging is something messier.

Peguero isn’t running as the polished, TV-ready candidate. He’s running as the prosecutor, the investigator, the guy who talks about flipping the House like it actually runs through Miami — which, to be fair, it might.

And he’s backing that up with endorsements that aren’t exactly lightweight:

Congressional Hispanic Caucus BOLD PAC
Congressional Black Caucus PAC
Latino Victory Fund
Congresswoman Lois Frankel
Congresswoman and Cabinet Secretary Donna Shalala
State Representative Ashley Gantt
Dr. Marvin Dunn, civil rights historian and leader
Ira Leesfield, attorney and community leader
Johnny G. Farias, Miami-Dade Community Council member
Venusmia Fernandez Lovely, Miami-Dade Community Councilmember
Katy Sorenson, former Miami-Dade Commissioner
Charles Dusseau, former Miami-Dade Commissioner & Florida Secretary of Commerce
Phil Stoddard, former South Miami Mayor
Former State Rep. Annie Betancourt
Former State Rep. J.C. Planas
Former State Rep. Daisy Baez
Miami-Dade School Board Member and former State Rep. Joe Geller
Former Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey (who lost a bid for CD27 in 2024 and dropped out this year to support Peguero)
Former Pinecrest Vice Mayor James McDonald
Former Key Biscayne Vice Mayor Allison McCormick
Coral Gables Commissioner Melissa Castro
Cutler Bay Council Member B.J. Duncan
Key Biscayne Council Member Frank Caplan

That’s not just support. That’s coalition-building. And in a Democratic primary, coalitions win.

Still, let’s not get carried away.

CD 27 is not an easy district. Salazar won her last race by 21 points, and Democrats have been chasing that seat like it’s perpetually “in play” — until Election Day says otherwise.

And inside the primary, Peguero isn’t just up against Rodriguez. There’s also environmental entrepreneur Richard Lamondin and, unknown accountant named Alexander Fornino and, because this is Miami, ex-con, ex-Trump man Lev Parnas, who has decided to jump into the race and bring his own brand of chaos with him. So yes, it’s crowded.

Also, yes, Rodriguez still has the name recognition. And, yes, the insiders are still leaning in his direction.

But here’s the thing about Miami politics: the race everyone thinks is settled rarely is. Because while one candidate is working the room, another is working the numbers. And right now, Robin Peguero has numbers that are getting harder to ignore.

The real question isn’t whether he can raise money. He already has. It’s whether that money translates into votes in August — and whether Democratic voters in CD 27 are looking for a familiar face or something entirely different.

Either way, one thing is clear: This primary isn’t as predictable as it looked a week ago.

This kind of independent, government watchdog reporting is crucial to transparency and democracy. And more so every day. Help shine a light on the darker corners of our community with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.

The CD27 Democratic primary may not be as done as some people think added by Ladra on April 3, 2026
View all posts by Ladra →