Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned from Congress under cloud, says she’s running to regain seat

Former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, outside a gathering of a group of Broward Democratic clubs at Flamingo Park in Sunrise on Monday, May 11, 2026. Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned in April, said she is running in this year's election to return to Congress. (Anthony Man/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

By Anthony Man | aman@sunsentinel.com | South Florida Sun Sentinel

PUBLISHED: May 11, 2026 at 8:59 PM EDT | UPDATED: May 11, 2026 at 9:36 PM EDT


Less than a month after she resigned from Congress in the face of a looming expulsion recommendation, former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick said Monday she is a candidate to return to Washington.

Cherfilus-McCormick said she is seeking the Democratic nomination in the reconfigured 20th Congressional District, which is concentrated in central Broward County, after Florida Republicans changed the map of Florida congressional districts.

She said she isn’t deterred by four other candidates who are already running — or by the prospect that U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz might decide to run in the same district. Wasserman Schultz’s Broward district was blown up by the new Republican reconfiguration of the congressional map.

“The strongest candidate in the race is me,” Cherfilus-McCormick said. “I never said I wasn’t running.”

The former congresswoman made it clear she doesn’t care for Wasserman Schultz, the senior Democratic member of Florida’s congressional delegation. When she was first elected, in a 2022 special election to fill the vacancy left by the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, Cherfilus-McCormick said Wasserman Schultz was dismissive when she arrived in Washington.

“One of the first things that ever happened when I came into Congress, she told me I wouldn’t be in Congress for more than 5 minutes, and here we are, five years still fighting. So I wish everyone well, but what I know is that in our district we’ll be fighting and we’ll make sure that the Black voice, as well as everybody’s voice is not diluted, and that’s what this is about, to make sure that everyone’s voice is being heard.”

Cherfilus-McCormick made her comments in response to reporters’ questions just before a gathering of members from about 20 Broward Democratic clubs, organized by Barbara Effman, president of the West Broward Democratic Club. Effman is a longtime Wasserman Schultz supporter.

Wasserman was the evening’s major speaker and arrived at the event as reporters were talking to Cherfilus-McCormick. The two didn’t cross paths.

Fellow Dems call for Cherfilus-McCormick to resign or be expelled

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick attends her House Ethics Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol complex on March 26. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Mar 27, 2026 -

Andrew Solender


A growing number of House Democrats are calling on Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) to resign after the House Ethics Committee found her guilty of dozens of charges, including serious financial misconduct.

Why it matters: Some of those lawmakers said they are at least open to voting to expel the Florida Democrat, creating substantial new pressure for her to be ousted from Congress by one means or another.

• Cherfilus-McCormick, who is also under federal indictment, said in a statement Friday: "I look forward to proving my innocence. Until then, my focus remains where it belongs: showing up for the great people of Florida's 20th District who sent me to Washington to fight for them."
• The Ethics Committee is set to meet when the House returns in mid-April to vote on recommending punitive action, which could include fines, censure, or expulsion.

By the numbers: More than half a dozen House Democrats said they think Cherfilus-McCormick should resign after the panel said Friday morning they found 25 of the 27 charges against her were "proven by clear and convincing evidence.

Congresswoman's $5M Scheme Finally Exposed

 

Indicted Democrat Editing Diamond Ring Out of Photo Raises Eyebrows

PUBLISHED
DEC 26, 2025, AT 03:28 PM EST

UPDATED
DEC 26, 2025, AT 03:29 PM EST

Florida Democrat Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has come under fire for allegedly editing out her diamond ring in a new holiday photo post shared on X.

Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, was indicted in November for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA coronavirus relief funds. The new post appears to have airbrushed out a $109,000 yellow diamond ring she’s accused of buying with the allegedly stolen cash.

Newsweek reached out to Cherfilus-McCormick for comment via email.

Why It Matters

A federal grand jury in Miami indicted Cherfilus-McCormick and several co-defendants in November, charging them with stealing roughly $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster-relief funds. They are also accused of funneling the money into Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Cherfilus-McCormick represents Florida’s 20th District. Her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, also was charged after allegedly diverting an overpayment from a COVID-19 vaccination-staffing contract to the family’s home health care business. Both have pleaded not guilty.

From left: Representative Ilhan Omar, then-first lady Jill Biden and Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick attend the Women of Impact Celebration hosted by ELLE at Ciel Social Club on April 28, 2023, in Washington. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for ELLE).

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick charged with stealing $5 million in FEMA...