María Elvira Salazar has actively engaged with the Hispanic and immigrant communities in South Florida, including leading civic events and coordinating job fairs to connect constituents with local employers (El Nuevo Herald, April 2024, El Nuevo Herald, October 2022).
She frequently participates in rallies and Republican events aimed at Hispanic voters, emphasizing shared values such as family orientation, law-abiding citizenship, and small government ideals (Miami Herald, July 2024).
Salazar has publicly defended Miami's immigrant neighborhoods and responded to criticisms, showcasing her identification with and advocacy for her community (El Nuevo Herald, July 2020).
Early in her congressional tenure, Salazar had fewer established relationships with key constituent groups, such as Parkland families, which could pose a potential vulnerability in terms of deep community connections (Miami Herald, Feb. 2021).
Salazar has faced criticism and heckling from some community groups, including being labeled a "communist" at a Little Havana protest, but has also received public support from other local constituents during such incidents (Miami Herald, July 2021).
November 2020: María Elvira Salazar Claimed To Intervene In Otaola's Release According to Miami Herald, "María Elvira Salazar, the former journalist who recently won the federal congressional race for District 27 in Florida, said in a Facebook post at about 3 p.m. that she spoke to Miami Mayor Francis Suárez and that they would release Otaola. 'It has been a bad moment that is about to end. Otaola is our friend, and we are with him!' Salazar wrote. She later shared a video of Otaola back at the rally." [Miami Herald, 11/28/20]
February 2021: Parkland Parents Noted Salazar Was Recently Elected And Planned Outreach According to Miami Herald, "None of the parents currently have close relationships with Gimenez and Salazar like they do with Diaz-Balart, because they were recently elected. 'They are on the list to get to know,' Montalto said." [Miami Herald, 2/11/21]
2021: Parkland Families Noted They Had Less Contact With Salazar And Giménez Due To Their Recent Elections According to El Nuevo Herald, "Ninguno de los padres tiene actualmente relaciones cercanas con Giménez y Salazar como con Díaz-Balart, porque fueron elegidos recientemente." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 2/11/21]
October 2022: María Elvira Salazar Led Civic Event For Immigrants In Doral According to El Nuevo Herald, "la representante federal María Elvira Salazar --representante federal cubanoamericana por Miami en su primer año-- se dirigió a un pequeño grupo de inmigrantes en Doral." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/24/22]
October 18, 2022: María Elvira Salazar Attended GOP Rally To Motivate Hispanics To Vote Republican According to Miami Herald, "Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez joined a group of leaders from the Republican party including Florida Senator Rick Scott and U.S. Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, during a rally to motivate Hispanics to vote Republican at the RNC Hispanic Community Center in Doral, on Tuesday Oct. 18, 2022." [Miami Herald, 10/26/22]
April 2024: María Elvira Salazar Coordinated A Job Fair At Miami Dade College According to El Nuevo Herald, "La feria, coordinada por la oficina de la congresista María Elvira Salazar, se celebra desde las 10 a.m. hasta las 2 p.m. en el campus ubicado en el 627 SW 27 Avenida, en La Pequeña Habana." [El Nuevo Herald, 4/3/24]
April 2024: Salazar Invited Job Seekers To Attend A South Florida Job Fair According to El Nuevo Herald, 'Animo a las personas a pasar por la feria para hablar con algunos de los empleadores más importantes y representantes de pequeños negocios del sur de la Florida', dijo Salazar en un mensaje a el Nuevo Herald. [El Nuevo Herald, 4/3/24]
July 2021: Salazar Attended GOP Town Hall on Cuba Protests in Miami According to Miami Herald, "The protest outside the iconic Little Havana venue, where attendees waved Cuban flags and 'TRUMP WON' banners alike, was propped up behind the live show, which included appearances from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar." [Miami Herald, 7/21/21]
July 2021: Proud Boys Criticized Salazar at Versailles Restaurant Protest According to Miami Herald, "Outside, the event became tense and chaotic at times, including when several members of the far-right Proud Boys who were in attendance were calling Salazar a 'communist' and a supporter of Fidel Castro, while they shouted at Rubio, calling him a 'RINO' -- Republican in Name Only." [Miami Herald, 7/21/21]
July 2021: Protesters Defended Salazar at Little Havana Event According to Miami Herald, "Protesters defended U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, as a protester called her 'communist and Che (Guevara) lover' outside of the Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana, during a GOP town hall broadcast live hosted by FOX News' Sean Hannity." [Miami Herald, 7/21/21]
July 2024: Salazar Emphasized Hispanics Accounted For 20% Of U.S. Population According to Miami Herald, 'We are the largest minority in the country, we're 20% of the population,' Salazar said. This 'is the moment to raise our voices and to present a united front.' [Miami Herald, 7/9/24]
July 2024: Salazar Quoted Reagan Saying 'Hispanics Are Republicans, They Just Don't Know It' According to Miami Herald, Salazar cited former Republican President Ronald Reagan. 'Hispanics are Republicans, they just don't know it,' she said. 'And this is the time for us to know it and to do something about it.' [Miami Herald, 7/9/24]
July 2024: Salazar Asserted Hispanic And Republican Values Were Aligned According to Miami Herald, Salazar, a daughter of Cuban exiles, said Hispanics and Republicans share the same values. 'We are law abiding, we like small government, we are family oriented.' [Miami Herald, 7/9/24]
July 2024: Salazar Told Crowd Hispanics Are Welcomed In Republican Party According to Miami Herald, Salazar told the Doral crowd, which included people from all parts of Florida and exiles from Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia and other Latin American countries, that Hispanics are welcomed in the Republican Party. [Miami Herald, 7/9/24]
2020: María Elvira Salazar Criticized Katie Miller's Comments On Little Havana According to El Nuevo Herald, "María Elvira Salazar, republicana que reta a Shalala por el escaño congresional, también criticó los comentarios de Miller. 'Nací y me crié en La Pequeña Habana y lo que Miller está diciendo demuestra su ignorancia de lo que es el vecindario', dijo Salazar en un mensaje de texto. 'Personas como mis padres no vinieron a La Pequeña Habana a quitarle nada al sistema sino a dar. La Pequeña Habana es el epítome de lo que los inmigrantes pueden hacer por este país, añadió Salazar. 'Son las personas como ellas las que están ciegas para verlo'." [El Nuevo Herald, 7/7/20]