Democrat Shalala Claims Victory Over Salazar

CORAL GABLES, FL — Saying "Mr. president, ready or not here we come," former University of Miami President and Clinton administration insider Donna Shalala claimed victory over Emmy-Award-winning journalist Maria Elvira Salazar in the battle to turn Florida's 27th Congressional District blue. She will succeed Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is retiring.

Shalala, a former Clinton administration Cabinet member won Ros-Lehtinen's District 27 seat, which covers a large swath of Miami-Dade County, including parts of Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Key Biscayne, Pinecrest, South Miami and Westchester.

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"Tonight I want you to hear a message of unity. I want you to hear a message that redefines what it means to Americans and sends a message to Washington tonight that we want our community back. We want our country back and we want our state back," Shalala said around 8:15 p.m.

"Some people would like to divide us, whether it's by the language we speak, by our country of origin, by our race, by our religion, by our disability," she said. "We just cannot let that happen because it's un-American."

Salazar conceded about an hour later.

"I thank every voter who gave me his trust, his vote and his love," she said. "May the lord protect this country and its future."

The seat was widely viewed as one of the Democrats' best chances for a pickup. The 77-year-old Shalala served eight years as President Bill Clinton's Health and Human Services secretary. She also was also president of the University of Wisconsin.

Shalala banked that voters would see her experience as an asset. Her Democratic challengers had similar positions on most key issues, such as tackling climate change, reducing gun violence, improving health care, and overhauling immigration. But none could match Shalala's lengthy record or familiar name.

Saying "today is about beginnings; It's not about endings," Ros-Lehtinen chose not to seek re-election in 2018. She was first elected to Congress in 1989 as the first Hispanic woman to hold that office.

"I'm confident that my constituents would have extended my term of office further should I have chosen to do so. But we must recall what the Bible says: To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven," she said with her husband, Dexter, by her side. "The time has come for me to seek a new challenge and the season has come for me to look at other adventures that life has for me."

Since coming to office in a special election, Ros-Lehtinen has been a powerhouse in Congress, serving as chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa. She has been a strong supporter of the state of Israel and human rights while also been a vocal opponent to the Castro regimes in Cuba.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Donna Shalala celebrates her victory during an election night watch party, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Coral Gables, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky).