Outgoing U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson endorsed Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert to take her seat in Florida's 24th congressional district in a literal passing of the torch ceremony in Miami Gardens on Monday.
"My word is my bond, so if I'm endorsing you, everyone in District 24 should be endorsing you. God bless you," Wilson said to Gilbert in front of the crowd packing the banquet hall of Grace United Community Church.
READ MORE: U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson announces she won't seek reelection to her seat in Congress
Wilson announced late last month she was retiring from Congress, though she initially filed for reelection earlier this year. The reverse in course came after Wilson was notably absent from Capitol Hill throughout the month of April, leading some to raise questions about the 83-year-old's health.
At her retirement announcement, several prominent Black leaders from South Florida attended and paid homage to Wilson, including Gilbert, who filed to run shortly after the ceremony.
Numerous other contenders have filed to run for the seat that's been held by Wilson since 2013, including State Senator Shevrin Jones, attorney Roderick Vereen, attorney and doctor Rudy Moise, Marshall L. Davis Sr, managing director of the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, and attorney Kendrick Meek Jr. — grandson of the late congresswoman Carrie Meek.
Wilson's endorsement now gives Gilbert a leg up on his crowded field of opponents going into a competitive Democratic primary in August.
Gilbert served as the second mayor of Miami Gardens from 2012 to 2020, when he was then elected to the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, where he served as chairman. Gilbert was reelected in 2024 and his current term ends in 2028, though he will leave office this year to comply with Florida's "resign to run" law.
During his tenure, he's emphasized fiscal responsibility while promoting essential government services like public transit and mental health care. In his speech following Wilson's endorsement, Gilbert focused on affordability and working-class issues.
" It's our turn. It's our time to actually stand for something, to stand for the idea that if you're in the richest country in the world, you should be able to afford to go to the doctor," he said.
He also took jabs at President Donald Trump and his use of taxpayer money.
" If we can afford a billion dollars a day for a war and $14 million for a reflection pool that wasn't even messed up, then we can afford to actually provide opportunities for people who are here," Gilbert said.
Gilbert recently pushed a resolution to shift $6 million from the FIFA World Cup host committee toward countywide anti-violence initiatives after some controversy over his county district receiving the full amount of money meant for a "legacy project."
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also endorsed Gilbert, citing his tenure on the board of commissioners and his time as a staunch ally of the mayor.
