Three candidates are vying for Florida's 28th Congressional District seat this fall, and the race has already produced a public dust-up over whether the contenders will ever share a stage. Republican incumbent Carlos Giménez, Democratic challenger Phil Ehr and independent candidate Eddy Rojas are all on the ballot heading into the November 3 general election, with CBS News Miami's Betty Nguyen interviewing all three about their campaign plans in a 35-minute segment.
Ehr, a retired Navy Commander, is attempting a rematch against Giménez after losing their 2024 contest by 30 percentage points, according to floridapolitics.com. Rojas is running as an independent in the same race, according to CBS News Miami. Giménez has represented the district since January 3, 2021, after unseating Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in 2020, per cookpolitical.com.
A Debate Proposal Still Hanging in the Air
Ehr's campaign sent formal written debate invitations to both Giménez and Rojas on September 22, calling for two public debates before Election Day — one in Miami-Dade County and one in Monroe County, according to the campaign's own debate request page at ehrforcongress.us. The proposal called for the events to be hosted by credible, independent media or civic organizations, moderated by mutually acceptable individuals, and broadcast or livestreamed for public viewing.
The campaign asked for a response by 5 p.m. on September 25. The request landed amid what floridapolitics.com described as a broader debate drought, noting that with 42 days left before Election Day, none of the marquee Miami-Dade and Monroe County contests had any debates scheduled.
The District's Geography and Political Lean
District 28 covers part of southwestern Miami-Dade County and all of Monroe County, the same floridapolitics.com report states. Cookpolitical.com describes the district as encompassing the Miami suburbs of Tamiami and Homestead as well as the Florida Keys. Since his 2020 win over Mucarsel-Powell, Giménez has not had difficulty winning reelection, according to the same site.
Florida's primary took place on August 18, a closed primary in which voters generally could participate only in the contest of their own registered party, per cbsnews.com. That structure shaped which candidates advanced to the general election ballot that now includes Giménez, Ehr and Rojas.
A Tight National Picture Heading Into November
The District 28 contest is unfolding against a closely divided U.S. House. Republicans entered the 2026 midterms with a 218-214 majority, with two seats vacant and one independent member, according to nytimes.com. All 435 House seats are up for election this cycle, the Times notes, though the Cook Political Report rates fewer than 50 of those districts as tossups or leaning toward either party amid redistricting.
Election Day for the Florida 28th District race is set for November 3, according to floridapolitics.com. Whether the proposed debates happen before then remains an open question for voters across southwestern Miami-Dade County and the Keys as they weigh the incumbent against his two challengers.
