Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is seeking her 12th term in Congress by running in a newly redrawn Florida district, a shift prompted by Republican redistricting efforts earlier in the year. The congresswoman, formerly the national Democratic Party chair, moved from her Fort Lauderdale-area district to run in Florida’s 20th District, which is anchored around Fort Lauderdale and is 42% Black, 23% Hispanic, and 4% Asian American.
Wasserman Schultz’s decision to run in the new district has sparked criticism from other Democratic candidates and community leaders who argue it represents an erasure of Black voting power. Former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned from the seat in April amid an ethics investigation, said Wasserman Schultz’s entry constitutes “a complete erasure of our history, our fight for Black access.” Progressive organizer Elijah Manley, 27, contended that while Republican redistricting was not Wasserman Schultz’s responsibility, she “had other options” and accused her of attempting to “take away Black representation.” According to an Associated Press analysis, Wasserman Schultz would be the only white Democrat positioned to represent any of the nation’s remaining districts with a Black majority or plurality.
Wasserman Schultz defended her candidacy by emphasizing her three decades representing diverse Broward County communities and her ability to advocate effectively for the entire region. She cited her Appropriations Committee position and programs she has helped create and fund for Black communities since her time in the Florida Legislature. She also noted efforts to connect across racial and cultural lines, including learning Spanish to better communicate with constituents in her existing district.
The redistricting reflects a broader national pattern following the U.S. Supreme Court decision that weakened Voting Rights Act provisions. President Donald Trump pushed Republican-controlled states to redraw House boundaries to preserve the party’s majority, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis implemented a plan that consolidated southeast Florida Democrats, reducing five Democratic seats to three. The Congressional Black Caucus has warned it could lose more than a quarter of its 60-plus members this election cycle as a result of similar redistricting efforts nationwide.
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