Shalala ran against Republican candidate Maria Elvira Salazar, a popular anchorwoman for Miami Telemundo outlet WSCV, in the general election. Shalala's campaign emphasized her experience and sought to tie Salazar to President Donald Trump, who was unpopular in the district. The race proved closer than expected, in part because Shalala does not speak Spanish; the 27th district is over 63 percent Latino. As late as a month before the election, polls showed Shalala either behind or practically tied with Salazar. However, Shalala won the election at the age of 77, making her the second-oldest freshman Representative in history after James B. Bowler who was elected at the age of 78 in 1953. Her victory returned the seat to the Democrats for the first time since the death of longtime congressman Claude Pepper in 1989.