Debbie Wasserman Schultz Wins In Florida Primary For Heavily Black District

Aug 19, 2026 06:40 AM - 1 hour ago 1

Topline

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., won successful the Democratic superior to correspond a mostly number territory successful Florida—after Wasserman Schultz made the arguable determination to tally successful the recently drawn territory erstwhile gerrymandering made hers much competitive.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., joins advocates to request the Supreme Court take sides Temporary Protected Status, during a news convention astatine Sak Pase Kitchen successful Plantation, Florida, connected May 1, 2026. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

TNS

Key Facts

Wasserman Schultz won astir 48% of the ballot soon aft the Associated Press called the race.

Wasserman Schultz, Florida’s longest- serving Democrat successful national agency and erstwhile chair of the Democratic National Committee, opted to tally successful the 20th Congressional District erstwhile the formerly safely bluish territory she represents, covering Broward County, was dismantled to see much Trump voters and is now rated a toss-up by predetermination forecasters.

The 20th Congressional District was besides redrawn, and is nary longer mostly Black, but Black votes still dress up 42% of the voting property population, while much than 23% is Hispanic, according to the governmental news tract Florida Politics.

Wasserman Schultz ran against 4 Black candidates: progressive Elijah Manley, erstwhile Broward County Mayor Dale Holness, rapper-turned-community activistic Luke Campbell and erstwhile Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., who resigned from the aforesaid spot she’s now moving for successful April aft she was charged pinch stealing national COVID-19 alleviation costs (she has denied the allegations).

Tangent

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., ran successful Tuesday’s Democratic superior to correspond the 25th Congressional District Wasserman Schultz presently represents, aft Moskowitz’s location reside was drawn retired of the 23rd Congressional District. The 25th Congressional District title is the latest to pit an constitution candidate, Moskowitz, against a progressive, socialist Oliver Larkin.

Key Background

Florida’s 20th Congressional District has been represented by a Black Democrat for much than 30 years. Prior to Cherfilus-McCormick, erstwhile Rep. Alcee Hastings held the spot from the 1990s until his decease successful 2021. It’s been vacant since Cherfilus-McCormick resigned. Some Black Democrats were angered by Wasserman Schultz’s decision, including president of the Democratic Black Caucus of Florida, Armando Grundy-Gomes, who endorsed Manley and told MS NOW, “our preferred campaigner would beryllium anyone different than Debbie Wasserman Schultz.” She has defended her determination by blaming Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican legislature for the gerrymandering and touting her grounds successful Congress, noting she has represented a ample information of Broward County previously. DeSantis signed the caller representation into rule successful May, moving 4 seats held by Democrats, including Wasserman Schultz and Moskowitz’s, into much Republican-friendly territory.