MIAMI — Former television news anchor Eliott Rodríguez has surpassed the majority threshold in Florida’s 27th Congressional District Democratic primary, according to a new campaign-funded poll released Tuesday.
The survey, conducted by Bendixen & Amandi International on behalf of Rodríguez’s campaign, found the former CBS Miami news anchor receiving 54% support among likely Democratic primary voters. Former federal prosecutor Robin Peguero received 28%, while 18% of respondents remained undecided.
If accurate, the results would place Rodríguez above the 50% mark less than two months before the August 18 Democratic primary election.
The poll marks an improvement from an earlier internal survey released by Rodríguez’s campaign in March, when he recorded 43% support in a larger Democratic field. The latest survey tested a head-to-head matchup between Rodríguez and Peguero.
POLL SNAPSHOT
Sponsor: Eliott Rodríguez Campaign
Pollster: Bendixen & Amandi International
Population: Likely Democratic Primary Voters
Results:
• Eliott Rodríguez — 54%
• Robin Peguero — 28%
• Undecided — 18%
Important Note: The poll was commissioned and paid for by Rodríguez’s campaign and tested only a two-candidate matchup. The campaign did not release sample size, field dates, weighting methodology, or margin of error information with the results.
CAMPAIGN CITES BROAD SUPPORT ACROSS VOTING GROUPS
According to the campaign, Rodríguez led among all major demographic groups measured in the survey.
The poll found Rodríguez receiving:
• 64% support among Cuban-American voters
• 61% support among Black voters
• 61% support among voters age 65 and older
• 56% support among men
• 52% support among women
Rodríguez’s campaign argued the results demonstrate broad support across key voting blocs in the district, including Cuban-American, Black, and senior voters.
FOCUS ON COST OF LIVING
Rodríguez linked the polling results to his campaign’s emphasis on affordability issues facing South Florida residents.
“This campaign has always been about earning people’s trust,” Rodríguez said in a statement.
He argued that voters are looking for leadership focused on lowering housing costs, insurance premiums, healthcare expenses, and other everyday costs while defending democratic institutions and civil liberties.
Rodríguez, a Cuban-American journalist who retired from CBS Miami in December after a 25-year broadcasting career, entered the congressional race in March. His campaign has emphasized South Florida’s affordability crisis, immigration policy, and government accountability.
WHY CD-27 MATTERS
The district has become one of the most closely watched races featured in The Florida Pundit’s Florida Elections 2026 coverage.
CD-27 includes Miami, Coral Gables, Key Biscayne, Pinecrest, Cutler Bay, and several surrounding communities. While Democrats continue to target the seat, Republicans have made significant gains among Hispanic voters in Miami-Dade County over the past several election cycles.
National Democrats view the district as a potential pickup opportunity, but incumbent Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar has consistently outperformed expectations, winning reelection in 2024 by roughly 21 percentage points.
The district’s large Cuban-American population and evolving voter trends have made it a key battleground in discussions about the future political direction of South Florida.
POLL LIMITATIONS WARRANT CAUTION
As with all campaign-sponsored polling, the results should be viewed with caution.
The survey was paid for by Rodríguez’s campaign and conducted by Bendixen & Amandi International. The firm is led by pollster Fernand Amandi, who also serves as a spokesperson for Rodríguez’s campaign.
The survey also did not test the full Democratic field expected to appear on the August ballot. Other Democratic candidates include businessman Richard Lamondin and Lev Parnas, a former associate of President Donald Trump who later became a critic of the administration.
Without independent polling or a full-field survey, it remains difficult to determine whether the reported margin accurately reflects the current state of the race.
Peguero, a former federal prosecutor and investigator for the House committee that examined the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, has reported raising more than $900,000 during the campaign.
His campaign has secured support from organizations affiliated with both the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus and has argued that the race remains competitive despite Rodríguez’s reported advantage.
NOVEMBER SHOWDOWN AWAITS
The winner of the Democratic primary will advance to face Republican incumbent Maria Elvira Salazar in November.
Salazar has represented the district since January 2021 and remains one of the Republican Party’s highest-profile Hispanic members of Congress.
With Democrats targeting several South Florida races in 2026, the outcome of the CD-27 primary could determine whether the party can mount a credible challenge in one of Florida’s most closely watched congressional districts.
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