Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: The end of the road, the end of an era
When the polls closed in South Florida Tuesday night, the election results were far from resolved. But one outcome was crystal clear from the beginning: Miami’s Republican U.S Rep.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was not going to return to Congress.
It was only later that we learned that Democrat Donna Shalala would be replacing her, after defeating Republican Maria Elvira Salazar.
And that’s a significant shift for South Florida politics.
Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban American elected to Congress, decided to end her nearly 40-year career in state, then national politics. As an immigrant and a politician, Ros-Lehtinen was a trailblazer. The Cuban American was the first Hispanic woman to serve in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate.
During her years in Congress, Ros-Lehtinen was best known for being a bulldog for Cuban exiles in their fight to end Fidel Castro’s dictatorship, joining forces with fellow Cuban-American representatives Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart.
But as times changed, Ros-Lehtinen evolved. She became a champion not only of Cubans, but all Hispanics living under repressive governments. She welcomed waves of escaped immigrants from their countries for political, economic or personal security reasons. Ros-Lehtinen prioritized the state’s environment, the security of the state of Israel and the rights of vulnerable minorities — especially the LGBTQ community. A moderate, right of center Republican, she never fell into step with the Trump presidency.
Her private lived spilled into the public arena as her transgender son, Rodrigo, became an activist. Ros-Lehtinen and her husband, Dexter, became an example for countless families who are experiencing social prejudices against a loved one. As Ros-Lehtinen leaves Congress, give her a tip of the hat. And here’s some unsolicited advice for Shalala, who herself brings vast experience in public service, as the incoming representative for District 27:
Preserve the constituent-service machine that Ros-Lehtinen kept humming in her congressional office in Miami. Regardless of whether you were a Republican or a Democrat — or even lived in her district — Ros-Lehtinen’s congressional aides listened and helped those who came for help. Such empathy often translated into votes at election time.
As the district has changed and turned more Democratic, other issues besides Cuba are taking center stage. The new representative should focus on improving the quality of life for those in the district by pushing for an increase of the minimum wage, affordable housing and federal funding for traffic solutions.
With or without Ros-Lehtinen, the district will still need a champion for the thousands of immigrants who flee to South Florida.
Shalala is definitely up to the task. Still, Ros-Lehtinen’s political shoes will be hard to fill.