District 27
University of Miami professor
Former assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, former U.S. Secretary of Health, former president of University of Miami
Donna Shalala secured the Democratic nomination in the August primary, riding a wave of name recognition and a heavy fundraising advantage. She’s probably best known to locals for her 14-year stint as the president of University of Miami, from 2001 to 2015, but before and after that she developed a major national profile in the Democratic party.
She served as the assistant secretary for policy development and research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Jimmy Carter and the U.S. Secretary of Health under President Bill Clinton. President George W. Bush gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008. She also led the Clinton Foundation from 2015 to 2017.
She’s faced stiff competition from Republican candidate Maria Elvira Salazar.
Based on the questions you had for the candidates, and factoring in some relevant topics, we sent questionnaires to the candidates and asked them questions about the following issues: the environment, criminal justice reform, gun control, the economy, healthcare, Puerto Rico, and immigration.
Thanks to readers Vanessa Haim and Marianna Yerak, and others who submitted questions anonymously.