Democratic Primary Race Heating Up in Florida’s 20th Congressional District

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a seasoned Congressional Democrat, has declared her candidacy for Florida’s District 20. This follows a mid-decade redistricting move. If successful, she will serve areas such as southern Coral Springs, North Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Tamarac, and nearby cities.

Four Black candidates in the Democratic primary for Florida’s 20th district met privately on Monday. They discussed backing one candidate to increase chances of beating Wasserman Schultz. Although the meeting concluded with the idea of narrowing the race to a one-on-one contest with Wasserman Schultz, no consensus on the candidate was reached.

We aim to reach a decision before the qualification deadline, said candidate Elijah Manley, who attended the meeting along with Luther Campbell, Dale Holness, and former Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. We agreed on the need to consolidate, and constructive conversations are ongoing, Manley added on Tuesday.

This strategic move follows recent changes to Florida’s voting maps by the Legislature. These alterations significantly reshaped South Florida’s congressional districts. Affected by the redistricting, Wasserman Schultz chose to campaign for the 20th District.

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries praised Wasserman Schultz but stopped short of an endorsement. Rep. Yvette Clarke, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), stated the caucus did not suggest her candidacy in the district.

The 20th District was a product of the 1992 federal court decision aiming to address racial discrimination in voting. This led to the election of Florida’s first Black congressional members since Reconstruction. Governor Ron DeSantis’s new maps changed the district lines, affecting Black representation in Congress.

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick criticized these changes, advocating for Black political representation. If they don’t support us now, it questions our alignment with the party, she warned.

Luther Campbell emphasized the importance of this race for the Democratic Party, particularly regarding the engagement of Black voters. The focus remains on defeating Wasserman Schultz, he said.

The deadline for contenders to qualify for the August 18 primary is June 12.

Note: This article was updated to correct comments regarding Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the Congressional Black Caucus. Originally published on June 2, 2026, the article was written by Raisa Habersham, a Miami Herald race and culture reporter since 2022.