María Elvira Salazar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids María Elvira Salazar
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 12, 2021
Preceded by	Donna Shalala
Personal details
Born	(1961-11-01) November 1, 1961 (age 63) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Renzo Maietto ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2010)​
Children	2
Education	Miami Dade College Florida International University (BA) University of Miami (MBA)
Signature

María Elvira Salazar (born November 1, 1961) is an American journalist and politician. She currently serves as a U.S. Representative for Florida's 27th congressional district. She is a member of the Republican Party and works as an assistant whip in Congress. Before becoming a politician, Salazar had a long career as a journalist, working for Spanish-language news networks like Telemundo, CNN Español, and Univision.

Salazar first ran for Congress in 2018 but lost. In 2020, she ran again and won, defeating the same opponent. She was re-elected in 2022 and 2024.

Early Life and Education

María Elvira Salazar was born in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood. Her parents were Cuban exiles, meaning they left Cuba to live in another country. She grew up speaking both Spanish and English. For part of her childhood, she lived in Puerto Rico.

Salazar went to the Deerborne School in Coral Gables. She later studied at Miami Dade College. In 1983, she earned a degree in communications from the University of Miami. In 1995, she received a master's degree from Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University.

Journalism Career

Salazar began her journalism career in 1983 as a reporter for Channel 23. In 1984, she became a senior political reporter for a Spanish television network that later became Univision. She covered important news from the White House and Pentagon starting in 1988. In 1991, she became the head of Univision's office in Central America, reporting on events like the Salvadoran Civil War.

In 1993, Salazar joined the Telemundo Network. She later became their senior political reporter in Cuba. In 1995, she famously interviewed Fidel Castro, the leader of Cuba, for Telemundo. She was the only U.S. Spanish-language TV journalist to interview him one-on-one.

In 1996, she was one of two Hispanic journalists to take part in a rare political debate. This debate was between Ricardo Alarcón, a Cuban official, and Jorge Mas Canosa, a strong opponent of Castro.

Salazar worked at Telemundo until 2002. After that, she hosted her own political news shows, including Maria Elvira Confronta and later Maria Elvira Live!, where she often held debates.

One of her most important interviews after Castro was with former Chilean president Augusto Pinochet in 2003. This interview was even used in a legal case against Pinochet. In 2013, she interviewed Yoani Sánchez, a well-known Cuban writer and activist.

Salazar has interviewed many famous people, including U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. She also interviewed Mexican Presidents Vicente Fox and Carlos Salinas de Gortari, and Colombian Presidents Alvaro Uribe and Juan Manuel Santos. She even interviewed Mother Teresa.

She often appeared on Fox News shows like Fox & Friends and Hannity. She discussed topics such as immigration, border security, and fighting against socialism. In 2016, Salazar returned to Mega TV to anchor the night news.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections to Congress

2018 Election

In 2018, María Elvira Salazar decided to run for Congress. She wanted to represent Florida's 27th congressional district. This district includes areas like Miami Beach, most of Miami, and parts of Dade County.

During her campaign, some people criticized her 1995 interview with Fidel Castro. Salazar defended herself, saying she has always been a strong critic of the Cuban government. She won the Republican primary election in August 2018.

Her opponent in the main election was Donna Shalala, a Democrat. The debates between them were held in Spanish, which gave Salazar an advantage because Shalala did not speak Spanish. Even though the district had voted for Democrats in the past, Salazar was very close in the polls. However, she eventually lost to Shalala, who won with about 52% of the votes.

2020 Election

In August 2019, Salazar announced she would run for Congress again, challenging Donna Shalala. She received support from President Donald Trump. Salazar won the Republican primary in August 2020.

In the November general election, many expected Shalala to win easily. However, Salazar won the election with 51.4% of the votes. She was one of 19 new Republican women elected to the House of Representatives that year. Some believe her victory was due to her strong message against socialism, which resonated with many Cuban-Americans in Miami.

2022 and 2024 Elections

Salazar was re-elected in 2022, winning with 57.3% of the vote. She continued to represent Florida's 27th congressional district. She was also re-elected in 2024, securing 60.38% of the vote.

Time in Congress

Congresswoman Salazar introduces The FORCE Act against Cuba in January 2021.

In early 2021, Salazar was part of a group of new Republican House members called the Freedom Force. This group aims to fight against socialism in America.

On January 12, 2021, the day she officially became a member of Congress, Salazar voted against removing President Trump from office.

In February 2021, Salazar was one of 11 Republicans who voted to remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments. Salazar stated that she believed in holding people accountable for controversial statements, just as she had criticized other politicians in the past.

In May 2021, Salazar voted to create a special group to investigate the events of January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol.

In September 2023, Salazar introduced a bill called the Crucial Communism Teaching Act. This bill passed the House of Representatives in December 2024.

Working in Committees

For the 118th Congress, María Elvira Salazar is part of several important committees:

• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • She is part of the Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.
  • She is the Chair (leader) of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere.
• Committee on Small Business
  • She is part of the Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure.
  • She is part of the Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development.

Groups in Congress

Salazar is also a member of several special groups, or caucuses, in Congress. These groups focus on specific topics:

• Climate Solutions Caucus
• Congressional America 250 Caucus (co-chair)
• Congressional Caucus Against Foreign Corruption and Kleptocracy (co-chair)
• Congressional Hispanic Conference
• Flood Resilience Caucus (co-founder)
• Friends of the Dominican Republic Caucus (vice chair)
• House Republican Israel Caucus
• Republican Main Street Partnership
• Americans Abroad Caucus (co-chair)
• Republican Governance Group
• Tuberculosis Elimination Caucus (co-chair)
• Congressional Blockchain Caucus
• Rare Disease Caucus

Political Views

María Elvira Salazar is generally seen as a moderate Republican. This means her views are often in the middle, not extremely conservative or liberal.

Business Rules

In 2022, Salazar voted for a bill called the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022. This bill aims to stop large companies from acting in ways that prevent fair competition.

Citizenship Rules

Salazar has suggested that the rule for birthright citizenship (where anyone born in a country is a citizen) should be looked at again. She has also said she might be open to offering citizenship to some immigrants who are currently living in the country without legal permission.

Economy and Spending

In 2021, Salazar voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This was a large bill designed to help the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Environment Protection

Salazar has supported a plan for a carbon tax, which would charge companies for the carbon pollution they create. She has also said she will fight for environmental protection in Congress.

Gun Safety

Salazar believes in the Second Amendment, which protects the right to own guns. However, she also believes that guns should be kept away from children, criminals, and people with mental health issues. She supports criminal background checks for gun purchases. In June 2022, she voted to raise the legal age to buy some types of rifles from 18 to 21. She also voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a bill aimed at improving gun safety.

Healthcare Access

Salazar has said she would only support changing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) if a good alternative plan was offered. She believes that health insurance should cover preexisting conditions.

LGBTQ+ Rights

In February 2021, Salazar voted against the Equality Act. This bill would make it illegal to discriminate against people based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. Salazar said the bill did not protect religious freedom enough.

In 2021, she supported the Fairness for All Act. This bill also aims to prevent discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, while also protecting religious freedom. In July 2022, Salazar voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which would protect the right to same-sex marriage under federal law.

Views on Socialism

Salazar has strongly criticized the idea of democratic socialism. She believes it leads to "misery, oppression and exile." She has also said she would only support lifting the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba if Cuba became a democracy.

Puerto Rico Statehood

In March 2021, Salazar helped introduce the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act. This bill would allow Puerto Rico to become a U.S. state.

Election Results

2018

2020

2022

2024

Awards and Recognition

Salazar has won five Emmy Awards for her news reports. These awards were for her work covering events in Nicaragua, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. In 2021, she was chosen for the first-ever Forbes 50 Over 50 list, which recognizes successful women over the age of 50.

Books Written

In 2010, Salazar published a book titled Si Dios contigo, ¿quién contra ti? (which means "If God is with you, who can be against you?").

Personal Life

María Elvira Salazar lives in Miami, Florida. She has two daughters.

Images for kids

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  María Elvira Salazar's signature

See also

In Spanish: María Elvira Salazar para niños