Amid backlash from Black candidates, Wasserman Schultz announces reelection bid in FL-20
By Carlton Gillespie
May 22, 2026 at 11:32 AM EDT
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Weston) has announced she will run for reelection in Florida’s 20th congressional district, a move Black politicians in Broward had publicly asked her not to do to preserve an historic Black seat.
“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,” said Wasserman Schultz in a video announcing her run released by her campaign team.
Her decision followed the push by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature to redraw the state's congressional districts to favor Republicans. That effort came months after President Donald Trump started pushing Republican-run states to redraw their congressional boundaries to improve his chances of keeping the House in Republican hands.
Wasserman Schultz’s current district, Florida's 25th, which had included most of southern Broward, was drawn to include coastal communities from Delray Beach to Miami Beach. Florida’s 20th district includes most of central Broward north of I-595.
Florida’s 20th district is Broward’s bluest — with the winner of the Aug. 18 primary all but assured to win the Nov. general election. However, the majority-Black district's seat has been held by a Black representative since the late Alcee Hastings first won his seat in 1993.
Because of that the seat is viewed as a stronghold of Black representation in Congress. To that end, the Broward County Democratic Black Caucus had asked white Democratic representatives — explicitly naming Wasserman Schultz — not to run for re-election in the 20th congressional district.
Incoming Senate Democratic Leader Designate Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, who is Black, said he had spoken to Wasserman Schultz in recent days about the race and told her “Black representation is a non-negotiable for me.”
“Everyone deserves to have a seat at the table to ensure our communities are represented by those with their same lived experience,” he said in a statement on Friday. “This is not about Debbie because she has shown that she can lead; that’s not the argument nor should it be the fight, at least not mine. My fight is for Black representation, and I am in the business of expanding it, not diminishing it."
State Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens (185x246, AR: 0.7520325203252033)
In a statement released Friday, the Florida Legislative Black Caucus called Wasserman Schultz’s decision “disheartening.”
“This district was established to remedy decades of racial exclusion and to ensure that Black communities have the opportunity to elect leaders who truly reflect their experiences and needs,” the Caucus said.
“Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz’s decision to pursue reelection in this historically Black district, despite explicit requests from the Black community to seek candidacy in a neighboring district, is disheartening," th Caucu added.
At a caucus meeting held earlier this week, Wasserman Schultz’s primary opponents sounded off about her stepping into the race.
READ MORE: FL-20 candidates make their case, slam Wasserman Schultz at Broward Black Democratic Caucus meeting
“It takes the people to stand up to the oppressor. And [Wasserman Schultz] is the oppressor. She's no different than anything that they're doing in Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama. She's no different at the end of the day,” said businessman Luther Campbell.
“ The Black community have been the most loyal to the Democratic Party. In fact, we vote 90-plus percent every election as Democrats. We're the most loyal. And to not see the importance of our vote and our voice is really sad, and it makes a lot of people angry too, and rightly so,” said former Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness.
Multiple members of the audience at that meeting asked if the candidates would consider dropping out to consolidate the Black vote. They expressed concerns that if Wasserman Schultz were to enter, she would easily defeat the fractured Black field. None of the candidates who answered seemed interested in stepping aside themselves.
“This fight between Democrats is something that the Republicans have set up to do. They set this up perfectly. This fight between communities is something they set up to do. For us to get past this moment, we have to demand that our representatives dig in their heels and fight,” said former congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, who resigned in a cloud of controversy in April.
Potential candidates in Florida's 20th congressional district at a meeting of the Broward Black Democratic Caucus. From left to right: Maisha Williams, Dale Holness, Elijah Manley, Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, Luther Campbell. (1446x1098, AR: 1.3169398907103824)
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board on Saturday wrote that 20th district voters need experience in Congress and that none of the other primary candidates "comes close to Wasserman Schultz."
":The frustration and resentment felt by many in the Black community in Broward is completely understandable. But their anger should be directed at DeSantis — not Wasserman Schultz," the Board wrote.
"This is a crossroads moment in Broward County’s evolution. Democrats have to decide what is more important — a candidate’s race or the breadth and depth of experience in public office. No one else comes close to Wasserman Schultz."
Wasserman Schultz is the most senior Democratic representative in South Florida, having been first elected in 2004. She serves on a number of influential committees including a senior and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee and a co-chair of the House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee.
“I’ll use all my seniority and influence in Washington to continue to make our lives more affordable, and make Broward a safer, less expensive place to live, raise a family and retire. This District deserves a representative who won’t be learning on the job and has a proven record of results,” she said.
“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,” said Wasserman Schultz in a video announcing her run released by her campaign team.
Her decision followed the push by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature to redraw the state's congressional districts to favor Republicans. That effort came months after President Donald Trump started pushing Republican-run states to redraw their congressional boundaries to improve his chances of keeping the House in Republican hands.
Wasserman Schultz’s current district, Florida's 25th, which had included most of southern Broward, was drawn to include coastal communities from Delray Beach to Miami Beach. Florida’s 20th district includes most of central Broward north of I-595.
Florida’s 20th district is Broward’s bluest — with the winner of the Aug. 18 primary all but assured to win the Nov. general election. However, the majority-Black district's seat has been held by a Black representative since the late Alcee Hastings first won his seat in 1993.
Because of that the seat is viewed as a stronghold of Black representation in Congress. To that end, the Broward County Democratic Black Caucus had asked white Democratic representatives — explicitly naming Wasserman Schultz — not to run for re-election in the 20th congressional district.
Incoming Senate Democratic Leader Designate Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, who is Black, said he had spoken to Wasserman Schultz in recent days about the race and told her “Black representation is a non-negotiable for me.”
“Everyone deserves to have a seat at the table to ensure our communities are represented by those with their same lived experience,” he said in a statement on Friday. “This is not about Debbie because she has shown that she can lead; that’s not the argument nor should it be the fight, at least not mine. My fight is for Black representation, and I am in the business of expanding it, not diminishing it."
State Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens (185x246, AR: 0.7520325203252033)
In a statement released Friday, the Florida Legislative Black Caucus called Wasserman Schultz’s decision “disheartening.”
“This district was established to remedy decades of racial exclusion and to ensure that Black communities have the opportunity to elect leaders who truly reflect their experiences and needs,” the Caucus said.
“Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz’s decision to pursue reelection in this historically Black district, despite explicit requests from the Black community to seek candidacy in a neighboring district, is disheartening," th Caucu added.
At a caucus meeting held earlier this week, Wasserman Schultz’s primary opponents sounded off about her stepping into the race.
READ MORE: FL-20 candidates make their case, slam Wasserman Schultz at Broward Black Democratic Caucus meeting
“It takes the people to stand up to the oppressor. And [Wasserman Schultz] is the oppressor. She's no different than anything that they're doing in Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama. She's no different at the end of the day,” said businessman Luther Campbell.
“ The Black community have been the most loyal to the Democratic Party. In fact, we vote 90-plus percent every election as Democrats. We're the most loyal. And to not see the importance of our vote and our voice is really sad, and it makes a lot of people angry too, and rightly so,” said former Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness.
Multiple members of the audience at that meeting asked if the candidates would consider dropping out to consolidate the Black vote. They expressed concerns that if Wasserman Schultz were to enter, she would easily defeat the fractured Black field. None of the candidates who answered seemed interested in stepping aside themselves.
“This fight between Democrats is something that the Republicans have set up to do. They set this up perfectly. This fight between communities is something they set up to do. For us to get past this moment, we have to demand that our representatives dig in their heels and fight,” said former congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, who resigned in a cloud of controversy in April.
Potential candidates in Florida's 20th congressional district at a meeting of the Broward Black Democratic Caucus. From left to right: Maisha Williams, Dale Holness, Elijah Manley, Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, Luther Campbell. (1446x1098, AR: 1.3169398907103824)
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board on Saturday wrote that 20th district voters need experience in Congress and that none of the other primary candidates "comes close to Wasserman Schultz."
":The frustration and resentment felt by many in the Black community in Broward is completely understandable. But their anger should be directed at DeSantis — not Wasserman Schultz," the Board wrote.
"This is a crossroads moment in Broward County’s evolution. Democrats have to decide what is more important — a candidate’s race or the breadth and depth of experience in public office. No one else comes close to Wasserman Schultz."
Wasserman Schultz is the most senior Democratic representative in South Florida, having been first elected in 2004. She serves on a number of influential committees including a senior and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee and a co-chair of the House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee.
“I’ll use all my seniority and influence in Washington to continue to make our lives more affordable, and make Broward a safer, less expensive place to live, raise a family and retire. This District deserves a representative who won’t be learning on the job and has a proven record of results,” she said.