Maria Elvira Salazar has expressed support for, and voted in favor of, expanding background checks on gun purchases, including backing the Bipartisan Background Checks Act in March 2021 (Miami Herald, 3/11/21; El Nuevo Herald, 3/12/21).
Salazar was the only Florida Republican in the U.S. House to vote for the landmark bipartisan gun-control bill after the Uvalde school shooting (Miami Herald, 10/18/22).
She has openly supported measures such as raising the purchase age for assault-style rifles from 18 to 21 and has indicated willingness to consider an assault weapons ban (Miami Herald, 10/11/24; Editorial - Miami Herald, 10/21/24).
During her 2018 campaign and since, Salazar voiced support for universal background checks and closing the gun show loophole, and has at times been open to other gun control and early intervention proposals (Miami Herald, 10/14/18).
Despite bipartisan votes on some measures, Salazar has faced criticism and a potential vulnerability from both sides: she opposed certain amendments to strengthen firearm transfer restrictions and extend FBI review periods, and has questioned the effectiveness of raising the purchase age, which may be viewed as inconsistency on gun regulation (El Nuevo Herald, 3/12/21; Miami Herald, 10/5/18).
Salazar Supported Raising Assault-Style Rifle Purchase Age According to Miami Herald, "She sided with congressional Democrats on a bill to raise the age to buy an assault-style rifle from 18 to 21." [Miami Herald, 10/11/24]
September 2018: Salazar Expressed Openness To Assault Weapons Ban And Universal Background Checks According to Miami Herald, "Salazar said she would be open to supporting universal background checks on guns and providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the country at least 15 years. [...] she would consider an assault weapons ban." [Miami Herald, 9/26/18]
2018: Miami Congressional Candidate Maria Elvira Salazar Supported Background Checks And Considered Assault-Weapons Ban According to Miami Herald, "Miami congressional candidate Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican, said this week that she supports background checks on guns and is open to an assault-weapons ban." [Miami Herald, 9/28/18]
2018: Salazar Faced More Conservative Primary Challengers On Gun Policy According to Miami Herald, "Salazar faced a host of challengers who were more conservative on guns." [Miami Herald, 9/28/18]
2018: Maria Elvira Salazar Supported Gun Background Checks And Was Open To Assault-Weapons Ban According to Tampa Bay Times Blogs, "Miami congressional candidate Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican, said this week that she supports background checks on guns and is open to an assault-weapons ban." [Tampa Bay Times Blogs, 10/1/18]
2018: Maria Elvira Salazar Won Republican Primary While Supporting Gun Restrictions According to Tampa Bay Times Blogs, "Salazar faced a host of challengers who were more conservative on guns" yet "breezed through" the Republican primary in her race. [Tampa Bay Times Blogs, 10/1/18]
Salazar Expressed Openness To Gun Control And Environmental Measures In 2018 According to Miami Herald, "She's indicated an openness to a ban on assault weapons, backs Curbelo's new carbon tax proposal and says she'll fight for comprehensive immigration reform if elected." [Miami Herald, 10/5/18]
Salazar Emphasized Support For Early Intervention Over Gun Purchase Age Limits In 2018 According to Miami Herald, "Her plan is to create a system of counselor-staffed 'trauma centers' inside the nation's high schools [...] She has also questioned the effectiveness of raising the age limit to purchase assault rifles and other firearms, while sounding the horn against violent video games." [Miami Herald, 10/5/18]
2018: Miami Herald Editorial Board Reported Maria Elvira Salazar Supported Assault Weapons Ban, Closing Gun Show Loophole, and Universal Background Checks According to an editorial published in Miami Herald, "Salazar would also ban assault weapons and close the loophole. She supports universal background checks and early intervention measures to prevent young, troubled people from picking up a weapon." [Editorial - Miami Herald, 10/14/18]
March 2021: Salazar Voted Against Amendments Allowing Firearms Transfer To Another Person When At Risk According to El Nuevo Herald, "Díaz-Balart y Salazar votaron en contra de las enmiendas, que fueron aprobadas en una votación de 225-202." [El Nuevo Herald, 3/12/21]
March 2021: Salazar Voted Against Extending FBI Background Check Review Period For Firearms According to El Nuevo Herald, "Los tres republicanos de Miami votaron en contra de otro proyecto de ley el jueves para ampliar el periodo de revisión de antecedentes del FBI para la compra de armas de fuego de tres a 10 días." [El Nuevo Herald, 3/12/21]
María Salazar Voted in Favor of Bipartisan Gun-Control Bill After Uvalde Shooting According to an editorial published in Miami Herald, "She was the only Florida Republican House member to vote in favor of the historic bipartisan gun-control bill in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting." [Editorial - Miami Herald, 10/18/22]
María Salazar Voted To Raise Assault Rifle Purchase Age According to an editorial published in Miami Herald, "She voted to raise the age to buy an assault-style rifle from 18 to 21." [Editorial - Miami Herald, 10/21/24]
March 2021: Salazar Voted For Expanding Background Checks On Gun Purchases According to Miami Herald, "But Miami's two other House Republicans, Reps. Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar, voted yes." [Miami Herald, 3/11/21]
2018: Salazar Expressed Openness To Expanding Background Checks During Her Congressional Campaign According to Miami Herald, "While running for Congress in 2018, Salazar said she was 'open' to expanding background checks." [Miami Herald, 3/11/21]
María Elvira Salazar Voted For Bipartisan Background Checks Act In March 2021 According to El Nuevo Herald, "los otros dos republicanos de la Cámara de Representantes de Miami, Carlos Giménez y María Elvira Salazar, votaron a favor." [El Nuevo Herald, 3/12/21]
Salazar Cited Universal Background Checks As Justification For Her Vote In 2021 According to El Nuevo Herald, "Salazar dijo que votó a favor del proyecto de ley 'porque creo que todos los que compran un arma de fuego deben pasar por una verificación de antecedentes.'" [El Nuevo Herald, 3/12/21]
Salazar Said Background Check Bill Would Protect Community From Violent Criminals In 2021 According to El Nuevo Herald, "'Esta medida de seguridad establece una capa adicional que protegerá a nuestra comunidad de los criminales violentos que se aprovechan de nuestras leyes para hacerse ilegalmente con armas', declaró mediante un comunicado." [El Nuevo Herald, 3/12/21]
2018: Salazar Expressed Openness To Expanding Background Checks During Congressional Campaign According to El Nuevo Herald, "Mientras se postulaba para el Congreso en 2018, Salazar dijo que estaba 'abierta' a la expansión de los controles de antecedentes." [El Nuevo Herald, 3/12/21]