Republican Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart, who is of Cuban descent, won reelection in Miami by fewer than 2,000 votes, ensuring he will remain one of the leading voices in the House of Representatives on policy regarding Cuba and Latin America.
The Republican won with 49.9% of the vote in Florida’s 26th District—which includes parts of the Miami metropolitan area and Broward County—compared to 49.1% for his opponent, Democrat Nicole Locklin. This represents a 20-point drop from 2024, when he secured 70% of the vote, according to NBC projections.
Díaz-Balart is one of three Republican congressmen representing the Miami metropolitan area, alongside Carlos Giménez—who has already secured reelection—and María Elvira Salazar, whose race is currently undergoing a recount, as she leads by less than 0.5% of the vote.
All three serve as prominent Republican voices in Congress, speaking out against the government in Cuba and other leftist leaders in Latin America; notably, former Colombian President Gustavo Petro (2022–2026) even accused Díaz-Balart of orchestrating a U.S. plot against his administration.
Like Salazar, Díaz-Balart questioned the immigration policy of U.S. President Donald Trump, stating in an interview with Telemundo that the president’s response to the immigration crisis had been “excessive.” The Republican’s opponent, Locklin, indicated on Sunday that she would not yet concede victory to Díaz-Balart, alleging that at one point following the November 3rd election, the vote count showed her in the lead, but the figures in the system then changed abruptly.
Although Democrats have already secured a majority in the House of Representatives with more than 250 seats—according to projections by media outlets such as CNN—the race has drawn national interest due to divisions among Latinos in Miami, fueled by issues like immigration raids and the Trump administration’s policy of exerting pressure on Havana.
The 26th District encompasses an area with a large Latino population—a group of voters that, according to exit polls, shifted away from the Republicans due to concerns over deportations and the cost of living.
Even though Democrats made gains in states that have historically leaned Republican—such as Texas, Iowa, and Kansas—Florida remained President Trump’s strongest bastion; the Republican Party won every statewide contest, including those for the Senate, the governorship, and the office of attorney general.
