Overview:
Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz won election to the U.S. House in Florida’s 20th Congressional District, defeating Republican Brent Andersen. The victory gives the former Democratic National Committee chair a 12th term in Congress after switching districts. The seat was previously held by Haitian American Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. The Associated Press called the race at 7:09 p.m. EST.
Editorial Note: Florida’s 20th Congressional District was previously represented by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, the first Haitian American elected to Congress from Florida. She resigned in April amid federal corruption charges and a congressional ethics investigation. She has pleaded not guilty.
Wasserman Schultz’s victory marks a shift in representation for a district with a significant Black and Caribbean population. Florida is home to an estimated 569,000 people of Haitian origin, according to 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data, the largest Haitian population of any state. Her election comes amid debates over Black political representation, immigration policies affecting Haitian families and U.S. policy toward Haiti, raising questions about how she will address the priorities of the district’s Haitian American constituents.
MIAMI (AP) — Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz won election Tuesday to the U.S. House of Representatives representing Florida’s 20th Congressional District, defeating Republican Brent Andersen.
Wasserman Schultz’s switch to a new congressional district paid off as the former Democratic National Committee chair secured a 12th term in office. She is the first Jewish congresswoman elected from Florida and served in the state’s House and Senate before winning federal office. Andersen founded a commercial and property insurance company and said that experience gave him unique insight into lowering property insurance costs, a growing concern in Florida. The Associated Press declared Wasserman Schultz the winner at 7:09 p.m. EST.
