By The Epoch Times | Created at 2026-08-19 19:01:35 | Updated at 2026-08-19 19:11:59
15 minutes ago
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) won the Democratic nomination in Florida’s newly redrawn 20th Congressional District on Aug. 18, defeating four black candidates in a Broward County seat that has sent black Democrats to Congress since 1992.
Wasserman Schultz currently represents the 25th District. She entered the 20th District race after Florida Republicans redrew the state’s congressional map this year at the urging of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a change that made her existing seat more competitive. The 20th District’s population is 42 percent black and 23 percent Hispanic.
Wasserman Schultz received 30,480 votes, or 45.32 percent, according to state election results. Former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness finished second with 15,547 votes, or 23.11 percent. Elijah Manley, a substitute teacher and organizer, took 9,367 votes, or 13.93 percent. Former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick took 6,187 votes, or 9.2 percent, and former 2 Live Crew rapper Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell took 5,679 votes, or 8.44 percent. Together, the four received about 55 percent of the 67,260 ballots cast.
“Today, Broward County residents made it clear that they want an experienced fighter who works non-stop to lower costs, shows up and delivers real results for our communities, and never backs down to Trump and his cruel, corrupt agenda,” Wasserman Schultz wrote in a post on Facebook. “Our campaign galvanized an unstoppable coalition of energized congregations, unions, LGBTQ+ advocates and proud Black, Caribbean and Hispanic communities, and we did it in the face of a rushed, brazenly illegal Republican gerrymander. Voters showed their strong unity by ensuring Broward’s formidable Democratic political power in Washington stays intact.”
Manley congratulated her in a post on X.
“We came up short in our race for Congress, but I’ve never been more fired up for the future,” he wrote. “This campaign and this district has been through so much change and turmoil. I congratulated [Wasserman Schultz] on her victory. She has the important task of trying to unite a community that is divided.”
During the campaign, Manley had said that Wasserman Schultz had “stabbed us in the back” by running in the 20th District rather than in her redrawn original district.
She also faced criticism from some members of the Congressional Black Caucus and did not receive an endorsement from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) who had backed many other incumbent candidates around the country in primaries this cycle.
Other Democratic representatives did campaign with or endorse her, including Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Cherfilus-McCormick, who held the seat from 2022 until this year,
resignedin April hours before the House Ethics Committee was set to recommend punishment after finding her guilty of 25 violations of campaign finance law and House rules. She also faces federal charges accusing her of taking $5 million in federal disaster relief funds. She has pleaded not guilty and has denied the ethics findings.
Brent Andersen won the Republican nomination with 7,435 votes, or 53.75 percent of the 13,833 cast. Rod Joseph finished second with 20.47 percent, followed by Carla Spalding with 19.53 percent and Lateresa “LA” Jones with 6.26 percent.
“Tonight, voters sent a clear message: They’re tired of political opportunism, self-serving leadership, and a broken Congress,” Andersen wrote in a post on X. “I’m incredibly grateful for the support of my neighbors. I look forward to a spirited conversation with Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz about the future of our country.”
Wasserman Schultz and Andersen meet in the Nov. 3 general election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
