Politics
Rodriguez Sues to Bar Miami-Dade Elections Chief Alina Garcia from District 27 Recount
Democrat Eliott Rodriguez's legal team filed suit Friday to remove Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia from ballot and recount decisions in Florida's undecided 27th Congressional District race, citing her political ties, a photograph with Republican Rep. MarÃa Elvira Salazar, and her son-in-law's role as Salazar's recount attorney. Salazar leads by 1,090 votes ahead of a Tuesday recount.
MIAMI â Democrat Eliott Rodriguez's campaign filed a lawsuit Friday seeking to remove Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia from any role in ballot and recount decisions in Florida's 27th Congressional District, a race that remains undecided more than a week after Election Day.
The suit, which names Garcia and Republican Rep. MarÃa Elvira Salazar, argues that the supervisor's participation as a voting member in the district's ballot and recount determinations "presents a serious, objective risk of bias." Salazar, seeking a fourth term, led Rodriguez by 1,090 votes in the latest count. A recount is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10.
The complaint points to Garcia's political affiliations, a photograph of her with Salazar, and the involvement of her son-in-law, attorney Robert Fernandez, who is representing the congresswoman in the recount. It also alleges that Garcia publicly named a winner before the recount and refused to step aside despite her son-in-law's role.
Garcia rejected the suggestion that the photograph amounted to campaigning for Salazar. She said the image was taken during a visit to Washington in May 2025.
"I take pictures with whoever asks me for a picture," Garcia said. "There is a picture that I took with Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar when I visited D.C."
Fernandez said his role does not create a conflict of interest. "There is no conflict of interest here," he said.
Fernandez and his wife, Alyn Fernandez, Garcia's daughter, were at the Miami-Dade Elections Department as officials reviewed ballots requiring closer scrutiny. He said the process is open to observers.
"It is completely transparent. There are uniform guidelines to determine voters' intent," Fernandez said. "Everybody is here to watch it, so watch for yourself and make a determination."
J.C. Planas, an attorney for Rodriguez, said the concerns extend beyond this contest. "This is something that goes well beyond this election," Planas said.
The dispute underscores the stakes for voters in a closely divided district, where a margin of roughly a thousand votes out of hundreds of thousands cast will determine who represents the community in Congress. The outcome could also shape how much confidence residents place in the county's administration of a high-profile recount.
Separately, a recount is set for Saturday, Nov. 7, in the race for Doral City Council District 2. Incumbent Maureen Porras leads by 15 votes, and she has a legal team ready to represent her in any dispute.