South Florida Democrats are bracing for a possible political shake-up as Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) weighs her options following Florida’s newly approved congressional map, including the possibility of a run for District 20, a heavily Democratic seat that could become the center of a fierce intra-party race.
The uncertainty surrounding Wasserman Schultz’s political future comes as Democrats across South Florida prepare to respond to Florida’s redistricting changes.
Wasserman Schultz declined to commit to a certain district but she made clear that she is focused on combating Republicans nationally.“The fight against Donald Trump and his MAGA extremists is absolutely critical,” Wasserman Schultz said, to reporters after a West Broward democratic club meeting, citing economic concerns facing voters, including small businesses and healthcare.
When asked whether she is considering District 20, Wasserman Schultz avoided giving a direct answer. “I’m not on anyone’s timetable,” she said. “I will have the conversations that I need to, and I’ll reach a decision in a short order.”
But the prospect of Wasserman Schultz entering the race is generating backlash from former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who announced that she intends to seek reelection in the district despite ongoing legal troubles and a pending federal criminal case. “I’ve never shied away from a fight. I am still fighting, and my team has always said, we’re ready. We’re ready for this fight. We’re ready to fight and win,” Cherfilus-McCormick said to reporters Monday.
Cherfilus-McCormick filed for reelection the day after her resignation amid a House Ethics investigation. She has been charged in connection with an alleged scheme involving the theft of approximately $5 million in FEMA-related funds, along with allegations that federal money was improperly routed into political and campaign activity.
The DOJ alleges Cherfilus-McCormick used her position to divert disaster relief funds under false pretenses, a case that now looms over her political future as she prepares for a reelection campaign in Florida’s newly drawn District 20.
Cherfilus-McCormick dismissed the allegations when asked directly whether voters can overlook the case, saying, “They’re exactly that — allegations. And everybody has a right to due process. My constituents have been reaching out to me, asking me to continue representing them.”
Cherfilus-McCormick emphasized that she is fully committed to District 20, pushing back on the possibility of supporting other prominent Democrats should they enter the race. “Absolutely not, because I’m running in District 20,” she said.
Her decision comes as South Florida Democrats are also grappling with a new state redistricting map that has scrambled the political landscape and intensified intra-party conflict over which candidates will ultimately run where.
SHEILA CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK RESIGNS AHEAD OF LIKELY HOUSE EXPULSION
“Absolutely not, because I’m running in District 20,” she said.
“This is not the moment for forum shopping,” Cherfilus-McCormick said. “This is not the moment for us to say, ‘Oh, this is easier.’ What matters in this moment is making sure that all the strides we have made to make sure that Black representation actually matters.”