Maria Elvira Salazar - Health Policy Profiles

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Maria

Elvira Salazar

-27

Miami, Miami Beach, Kendall

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Personal Background

Birthdate

11/1/61 (59)

Race/Ethnicity

Hispanic/Latinx

Gender Identification

@MaElviraSalazar

Religion

No Religion Listed

Family

Married, 2 children

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

B.A. in Communications, University of Miami; Master’s of Public Administration, Harvard University

KEY HEALTH LINK

Salazar witnessed and covered of the trauma and injuries resulting from the Salvadoran Civil War.

Political/Professional Background

LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE

Never held elected office

2020 ELECTION CONTEXT

After an unsuccessful bid for the same congressional seat in 2018, Salazar again secured the GOP nomination in Florida’s 27th district with 79% of the vote in the primary. In the general election, she ousted incumbent and former HHS Secretary Donna Shalala, who had beaten her in the 2018 race. Both were very close races.

INCUMBENT REPLACED

Donna Shalala (D), defeated in re-election bid

MOST RECENT PROFESSION

Nightly News Anchor, Mega TV

POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY

Salazar is a broadcast journalist with a three-decade career at Spanish-language networks Telemundo, Mega TV, CNN Español and Univision. Salazar spent three years covering the Salvadoran Civil War.

On The Issues

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Salazar supports social distancing and mask wearing to prevent the spread of the virus. Salazar supports additional direct relief for those economically affected by COVID-19, with an eye toward restoring employment.

HEALTH COVERAGE

Salazar says she would support the repeal of the ACA, but only if a viable alternative were presented that also protected coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and allowed adults up to 26 years old to stay on their parents' plan. She says the best way to reduce premiums is to “allow the forces of the free market to invade” the health care industry. Salazar supports allowing individuals and families to buy health insurance across state lines. She vows to protect Medicare.

MARIJUANA

No Data

MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION

When running for office in 2018, Salazar linked gun violence to mental health: "To ensure their safety, one of my first acts as Congresswoman, I will introduce legislation to create an Early Intervention and Prevention Center (EIPC) in every public school in the country with the task of identifying mental health issues in our students before they become critical and lead to tragic consequences."

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Salazar is very critical of abuses by "big pharma." She supports proposals to allow the government to negotiate drug prices to lower the high cost of medications and to import drugs from Canada and Mexico.

VETERANS HEALTH CARE