Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a long-standing member of Congress, has declared her intention to run for Florida’s District 20 following recent redistricting. Her campaign would cover areas including southern Coral Springs, North Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Tamarac, and nearby cities.
Almost all of Florida’s Democratic National Committee members have criticized Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz’s decision to pursue reelection in this district. This area was originally designed to ensure representation for Black voters but has been affected by redistricting efforts spearheaded by Governor Ron DeSantis.
A letter from 10 elected Florida DNC members states, “Our party cannot credibly denounce the dismantling of Black political power by Republicans while treating one of Florida’s few remaining majority-Black districts as a political opportunity for an incumbent seeking a safer seat.” Among the undersigned are all but two of the party’s elected members and the Florida Democratic Party’s first vice chair, Daniel Henry.
The decision to run in District 20 comes after Wasserman Schultz’s announcement that follows the rearrangement of congressional district borders in South Florida. These changes have reduced the number of left-leaning districts in a region with five Democratic incumbents from five to three.
Wasserman Schultz has served in Congress for over two decades. She opted for a safer Democrat-friendly district, likely to favor a Democratic victory in the general election, instead of competing in other surrounding districts now aimed at favoring Republican candidates.
Her residence is located in Florida’s new 22nd District, extending from Coral Springs to Marco Island. Nonetheless, her previous voter base scattered across five different places due to redistricting, resulting in a minor segment joining the 20th District.
Critics argue that Wasserman Schultz transferred her $2.5 million campaign funds into the easier Democratic-leaning district for secure political power. DNC members stated, “We cannot claim to defend voting rights, racial justice, and representation while undermining Black political power when it becomes politically convenient.”
In an interview with the Miami Herald, Wasserman Schultz dismissed criticism from political rivals. She acknowledged concerns from Black candidates regarding her plans but stated, “It’s not surprising that criticism is coming from folks who are already running for the job.” However, the DNC members have clearly expressed disapproval of her choices.
Wasserman Schultz held the position of DNC chair from 2011 until 2016. A federal judge established three Black-majority districts in Florida under the Voting Rights Act in 1992, enabling Black voters to elect their preferred candidates. Florida’s 20th District has seen its first Black congressional representatives since Reconstruction, with previous representatives including Alcee Hastings and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.
Governor DeSantis’ administration intentionally targeted the 20th District, as communicated by his staff to state legislators in anticipation of the Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which challenged the Voting Rights Act.
Wasserman Schultz contended against accusations of undermining Black voters’ representation by blaming DeSantis for focusing on Broward County. “Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump came in and intentionally tried to blow up, or they did blow Broward’s congressional districts to smithereens so that they could dilute Broward’s power,” she stated.
Florida’s DNC members view her decision as part of a broader strategy against Black voters. “This decision reinforces the same message Republicans have pushed for years: that Black representation does not matter. It does matter. Representation matters. Lived experience matters,” they affirmed.
Claire Heddles is the Miami Herald’s senior political correspondent, formerly reporting on national politics and Congress from Washington D.C. at NOTUS. She has experience as a public radio reporter covering local government and education in East Tennessee and Jacksonville, Florida.
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