A South Florida House seat has flipped to the Democrats after it was won by a former Clinton administration official.
Donna Shalala, a Democrat and former Clinton administration Health and Human Services secretary, defeated Republican Maria Elvira Salazar in a district that voted for Hillary Clinton by a 20-point margin.
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The seat came up for grabs after longtime Republican Rep. IIeana Ros-Lehtinen announced her retirement.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who hopes to become speaker in January, tweeted her congratulations to Shalala:
“Congratulations U.S. Representative-Elect @DonnaShalala! You answered the call to service and your constituents agreed with your vision on health care and education. I look forward to serving with you #ForThePeople. – NP #FL27.”
Democrats are hoping a “blue wave” wipes away the Republican majority in the House and helps them recapture the Senate. Most pollsters gave Democrats a good chance at recapturing the House, but they’ll need a significant Democratic wave to win the Senate.
