Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida secured the Democratic nomination for the state’s newly configured 20th Congressional District on Tuesday night, as reported by The Associated Press, despite her original district being eliminated during this year’s Republican-led redistricting efforts.
The veteran lawmaker, who is white, overcame significant opposition from Black competitors who had publicly questioned her decision to seek office in a historically Black constituency encompassing much of Broward County’s African American and Caribbean American neighborhoods.
This primary victory comes amid widespread Republican gerrymandering throughout the South this year, which analysts expect will sharply diminish the number of Black representatives serving in Congress. The region covered by Florida’s 20th District has traditionally elected a Black lawmaker to represent it.
Wasserman Schultz, an 11-term incumbent and former Democratic National Committee chairwoman, defended her candidacy by highlighting her extensive track record representing South Florida at both state and federal levels, emphasizing that her institutional seniority would best serve the district’s residents.
“We’ve proven to voters and citizens that Republicans who attempted to manipulate our electoral map don’t get rewarded — and they weren’t rewarded tonight,” Wasserman Schultz declared to cheering supporters during her victory speech in Tamarac, Florida.
Emotional moments marked the celebration as Wasserman Schultz, flanked by campaign staff and Black community leaders, thanked her father — who served as her campaign treasurer for three decades — while fighting back tears during the victory gathering.
Throughout the campaign, Wasserman Schultz significantly outpaced her opponents in fundraising and prioritized grassroots engagement through numerous community appearances over the final two months of campaigning.
Four Black Democratic candidates had initially hoped Wasserman Schultz would select a different district to contest, though switching would have meant either challenging another Democratic House member or entering a more competitive seat. Since the 20th District remains comfortably Democratic, Wasserman Schultz enters the November general election as the clear favorite.
In June, the Black candidates attempted to unite behind a single contender to challenge Wasserman Schultz but failed to reach consensus on consolidating their efforts. The remaining contenders were ultimately defeated on Tuesday: Elijah Manley, a teacher and activist; former Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick; Dale V.C. Holness, former Broward County mayor; and Luther Campbell, famously known as Uncle Luke from the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew.
Notably, Cherfilus-McCormick stepped down from Congress in April ahead of a House committee review regarding potential expulsion proceedings. She currently faces federal indictment on charges of misappropriating $5 million in disaster relief funds for campaign purposes, though she has pleaded not guilty to all accusations.
