Daniel Wolfram
ICE raids and cratering poll numbers threaten to flip a once-untouchable Republican fortress in South Florida.
A simple coffee run sparked chaos and perhaps marked a significant shift in Little Havana down in Miami.
Democratic challenger Eliott Rodriguez visited CAO Bakery for pastries alongside Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Right-wing critics erupted immediately, accusing the cafe of fraternizing with “socialists” and demanding a boycott of the historic chain, according to The Observer.
ICE is turning Cuban Americans into Democrats
“The ICE situation has not helped,” Bussenius told the outlet, pointing to sweeping deportation operations that have pushed families into hiding.
People are terrified to step outside, especially in smaller communities. Around 70,000 migrants have been detained nationwide, spreading panic across close-knit Hispanic communities.
It does not help either that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban American himself, has repeatedly threatened an invasion of communist Cuba. Furthermore, the Trump administration has put the squeeze on their home country with a ruthless embargo that has seen power outages and a shortage of essential goods.
Widespread panic
That widespread dread is rattling a longtime Republican stronghold. Donald Trump carried Florida’s 27th congressional district by nearly fifteen points two years ago, but the seat is now up for grabs.
Incumbent Republican Maria Salazar publicly warned that federal immigration tactics went “too far” and left voters feeling “betrayed.” She even had to go to the White House to cut an ad where she denounced Trump’s immigration policies.
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The polls confirm it as well. While Trump got 48% of Hispanic votes in 2024 to help secure the presidency, his support from them is just 24% two years later.
A Pew Research survey found that 70% of Latino respondents believe current White House policies have actively harmed their families.
Art restorer Dayamis Hernandez, 55, fled Cuba decades ago and fears the left may harbor socialist sympathizers. “But I also don’t want to be dragged into the extreme right wing, so I find myself not wanting to go one way or the other,” she confessed.
Florida’s most loyal minority conservative bastion has suddenly become anyone’s game.
