Lev Parnas, Trump Impeachment Figure, Announces Run for Congress as Democrat

The former Trump ally plans to challenge Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar in Florida's 27th Congressional District.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Lev Parnas, a key figure from President Trump's first impeachment who later turned against him, plans to run for Congress in Miami as a Democrat. Parnas announced his campaign to run in Florida's 27th Congressional District, currently held by Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar. Parnas said his background working with Trump has turned him into 'an advocate for speaking truth to power' and that he wants to try to 'help our country' and 'help our district' through elected office.

Why it matters

Parnas's decision to run for Congress as a Democrat represents a dramatic shift from his previous role as a Trump ally who tried to find damaging information on Hunter Biden. His candidacy could shake up the race in Florida's 27th District, which has trended Republican in recent election cycles but is still considered a competitive seat.

The details

Parnas, a 54-year-old Ukrainian-born naturalized American citizen, was arrested in 2019 and accused of funneling Russian money into American political campaigns. He later turned against Trump and testified before Congress about his unsuccessful efforts on Rudy Giuliani's behalf to link the Bidens to corruption in Ukraine. Parnas was convicted of federal campaign finance violations in 2021 and sentenced to 20 months in prison.

  • Parnas announced his congressional campaign on March 5, 2026.
  • Parnas was arrested in 2019 and convicted in 2021.

The players

Lev Parnas

A key figure from President Trump's first impeachment who later turned against him and is now running for Congress as a Democrat in Florida's 27th District.

Rep. María Elvira Salazar

The Republican incumbent in Florida's 27th Congressional District, which Parnas is challenging.

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What they’re saying

“I'm running because I know the system — Donald Trump's system — from the inside, because, remember, I helped build MAGA.”

— Lev Parnas (Substack)

“I came to a point where I felt that talking was kind of cheap. I needed to try to see what I could do, and I decided that the way I could help our country, and the best way that I could help our district, was throwing my hand up for the seat.”

— Lev Parnas (The New York Times)

What’s next

The boundaries of Florida's 27th Congressional District may change ahead of the 2026 midterm elections due to redistricting efforts by Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis.

The takeaway

Parnas's decision to run for Congress as a Democrat after previously working with Trump represents a dramatic political shift. His candidacy could shake up the race in Florida's 27th District, which has trended Republican in recent years but is still considered a competitive seat.