Former Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mary Barzee Flores Wednesday announced her candidacy for Congress to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, whose attorney-husband Dexter Lehtinen is an ex-Miami U.S. Attorney.

Flores is in private practice as a shareholder in the litigation department at Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson.

Former President Barack Obama nominated her for Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum's former seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, but Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio blocked her nomination.