Republican Rep. Maria Salazar (FL-27) recently dropped an ad directly confronting President Donald Trump about his immigration agenda. Salazar has been none too pleased about the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, detentions, and mass deportations of certain people and groups, particularly those who had their temporary protected status revoked.
However, she made the assumption that she would be cheered on by her voters, Republican moderates and so-called moderate Democrats.
A week later, that ad has aged like curdled milk. It seems that Salazar's Miami constituents, for whom she claimed to be speaking, are letting her know that she does not represent their viewpoint.
NEW: Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) just rolled out a straight to camera ad breaking with Trump.
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) September 17, 2026
"Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far....The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today" pic.twitter.com/uxPeLaittt
Though aimed at frustrated voters, it was framed as a direct appeal to President Donald Trump.
“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far,” Salazar says while looking directly at the camera. She goes on to tell Trump that his advisers are giving him bad advice, and that his immigration policies are weakening Republicans’ standing with the Latino voters who helped power GOP gains in 2024.
But many Latino voters in Salazar’s district said she has misread their sentiment and that their support for Trump has not wavered. Their support for their congresswoman, however, has waned, they said — and the ad did nothing to restore their confidence.
“She’s out of line,” said Hector Rubio, a resident of Miami’s wealthy enclave of Key Biscayne. Rubio, a longtime Republican voter who supported Salazar in the past three races, said in Spanish that Trump “is doing what he can, and he could do even more.” As he watched his wife shop in the neighborhood’s busy farmers market on Saturday morning, Rubio advised Salazar to stick close to Trump.
That ship has definitely sailed. We know Trump values loyalty, and this out-of-the-blue ad screams betrayal, no matter how well-meaning. Trump had already endorsed Salazar in her congressional race, and some of her constituents who kind of agreed with her take didn't agree with her timing or methods.
Even those who agreed with Salazar’s message seemed to find fault in it, with many saying the lawmaker should have made her appeal to Trump earlier.
“Her blind support of Trump has me very disturbed. She’s not thinking for herself,” said Charles Parsons, 83, another Key Biscayne resident who voted for Salazar in the past but said Saturday that he will not support her this year, even though he plans to vote for other Florida Republicans on the ballot. “All she’s thinking about is her political survival, and this ad … does nothing more than exacerbate the wound for me.”
In this purple district, a move that Salazar thought would endear her to voters appears to have backfired, and could throw weight toward her Democrat challenger. Even if Salazar does pull out a midterm win, she has squandered political capital with President Trump, her voters, and probably more than a few of her Republican colleagues.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
Help RedState continue to report on the Democrats’ radicalism and inform voters as our nation faces a crossroads. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.