Wasserman Schultz jumps into Black-majority seat, igniting Broward political fight
Veteran Democratic lawmaker Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s announcement Friday that she will seek re-election in Florida’s newly redrawn Congressional District 20 sets up what could become one of South Florida’s most contentious and closely watched political battles, one layered with racial and political tensions in a historically Black Broward-Palm Beach district.
The seat, until recently held by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, was briefly left vacant following Cherfilus-McCormick’s resignation from Congress as she faced punishment for ethics violations.
But the congresswoman is now back in the race seeking to reclaim the seat, along with four other Black candidates, including former Miami rapper and activist Luther Campbell.
Wasserman Schultz is the only white candidate running in the majority-Black district as of May 22.
“I’ve fought for the people of Broward County my whole adult life, and you’ve always been able to count on me to deliver results for our community,” Wasserman Schultz said in her campaign announcement. “We cannot let [President] Trump and [Gov. Ron] DeSantis take away Broward County’s power.”
But Trump may be the least of Wasserman Schultz’s political problems.
Her decision to run in District 20 immediately injected controversy into a race already charged by redistricting disputes, racial politics and Democratic infighting.
District 20 has long been viewed as a historically Black seat stretching through portions of Broward and Palm Beach counties. It has been represented for years by Black lawmakers, including the late Alcee Hastings and, until recently, Cherfilus-McCormick.
Wasserman Schultz has already faced backlash among some Black Democratic leaders and activists, who argue the district should continue to be represented by a Black lawmaker.
The race will likely pit Wasserman Schultz directly against Cherfilus-McCormick, who remains politically damaged by controversy and an upcoming criminal trial, but she still carries strong name recognition throughout the district.
There is little love lost between the two top candidates.
At a recent Democratic event, Cherfilus-McCormick openly referenced tensions with Wasserman Schultz dating to her arrival in Congress.
“One of the first things that ever happened when I came into Congress, Wasserman Schultz told me I wouldn’t be in Congress for more than five minutes, and here we are, five years still fighting,” Cherfilus-McCormick told reporters.
Some local Black leaders publicly urged Wasserman Schultz not to enter the race.
“Debbie has been a friend for many years,” said Florida Sen. Shevrin Jones, the Black Democratic leader in the Senate, who said he personally appealed to Wasserman Schultz to stay out of the contest.
“We have spoken over recent days, though my stance on this remains the same: Black representation is a non-negotiable for me,” Jones said. “Everyone deserves to have a seat at the table to ensure our communities are represented by those with their same lived experience. ... My fight is for Black representation, and I am in the business of expanding it, not diminishing it.”
Wasserman Schultz, who currently represents District 25, largely sidestepped the racial implications of her candidacy Friday, framing her campaign instead as a fight to protect Broward County’s political influence after Republican-led redistricting reshaped South Florida congressional boundaries.
In her announcement, Wasserman Schultz repeatedly blamed DeSantis and Republican lawmakers for drawing “an overtly partisan map” that weakened Democratic voting strength in Broward County.
The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature approved DeSantis’ congressional map despite lawsuits alleging it violated Florida’s Fair Districts constitutional amendments designed to prevent partisan gerrymandering.
Wasserman Schultz enters the race with decades of political experience and deep establishment ties in Washington.
A former chair of the Democratic National Committee appointed by Barack Obama, she also serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and holds leadership positions within the House Democratic caucus.
Her campaign rollout included endorsements from several Broward elected officials and community leaders, including Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco and former Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler.
