Tension continues to rise in the race for Congressional District 27. State Senator Annette Taddeo (D) is vying to unseat Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R), and the Florida Democrat has just challenged Salazar to 4 debates. In a letter, Taddeo made the announcement, calling for Salazar to take part in 4 televised debates.
Taking to social media to make the announcement, Taddeo commented that the race for district 27 "is not about her or me, it's about the people that we would represent in the halls of congress." As such, "it's important for the people of FL-27 to hear and understand how we would work for them."
Today I challenged @MaElviraSalazar to 4 debates. This race is not about her or me, it’s about the people that we would represent in the halls of Congress. It’s important for the people of FL-27 to hear and understand how we would work for them. pic.twitter.com/Q9DloQkVqZ
— Annette Taddeo (She/Her/Ella) (@Annette_Taddeo) September 22, 2022
On the campaign trail, Taddeo has maintained that she has the qualifications to turn Salazar's district blue while Salazar has pushed back, calling Taddeo another example of a "far-Left" liberal.
In the letter issued to Rep. Salazar, Taddeo outlines the importance of the debates, writing that "the cost of living in Miami is out of control, parents fear sending their children to school because of gun violence, and the rights and liberties that the people of South Florida hold dear are all on the ballot." Because of this, "whoever is elected in November will need to rise above partisan politics and extreme agendas to deliver real results for every person and family that calls FL-27 home."
Though Salazar has not responded to the challenge, Salazar did announce that she had introduced the Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act, which "would establish a grant program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to fund community-based programs that take minority youth on fishing trips to the Ocean and Great Lakes."
In a statement, she commented on the effort, noting that "as someone who knows and recognizes the bounties of the marine and aquatic environment, I am pleased to provide younger generations of Americans across the country, especially minority Americans, the opportunity to learn firsthand about our seas, oceans and lakes, as well as provide them with the tools to enjoy them."
