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.

Former DNC Chair On Why Democrats Put The Interests Of Illegal Aliens Over Citizens in Shutdown Fight

Matt Vespa | January 23, 2018

If you want to see bad spin about this whole shutdown mess the Democrats created for themselves, take a look at this interview Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz did with CNN’s Brooke Baldwin. She prevaricates or outright evades questions from Baldwin about whether Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) caved, or if this shutdown creating a “potential for momentum” on an immigration deal was the right thing to do. Schultz just decided to attack Trump and the GOP. First, did someone not tell her they lost this fight? Second, that’s her spin. That this was done to create a "potential for momentum" on a fix for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. So, if things don’t go your way, shut down the government. It could add an extra kick in the legislative step. This is insanity (via Free Beacon):

When host Brooke Baldwin asked whether Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) "caved" on the deal he made with Republicans in the Senate to end the shutdown, Schultz preferred to rail against President Donald Trump and the GOP.

[…]

"What one thing can you point out that the Democrats, that Leader Schumer, what one thing did he get from Republicans to justify shutting down the government in the first place?" Baldwin asked.

"The one thing I would say that he did get is the potential for momentum," Schultz said. "I am certainly hopeful that's what occurs."

Baldwin focused on the phrase "potential for momentum" and asked Schultz if Americans should believe that is a valid reason for shutting down the government. Again, Schutz avoided the question in favor of targeting Republicans.

"I will tell you that Republicans should be asking themselves that question because they shut the government down," Schultz said. "This is a Trump shutdown."

Report: Wasserman Schultz IT Aide Arrested Trying to Flee US

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

By Cathy Burke | Tuesday, 25 Jul 2017 06:57 PM


An information technology aide for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. – at the center of a congressional computer equipment scandal – was arrested while trying to flee the country and charged with bank fraud, Fox News reported.

Imran Awan was arrested at Dulles International Airport in suburban Virginia, and pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one count of bank fraud during his arraignment in federal court in Washington, D.C., Fox News reported.

Law enforcements authorities have been looking into how Awan might have double-billed the House for equipment like computers, iPads, monitors, keyboards and routers, Fox News reported.

Several relatives of Awan worked for House Democrats and were fired months ago, but Awan was kept on staff by Wasserman Schultz, the former Democratic National Committee chair, as a part-timer.

Wasserman Schultz's spokesman, David Damron, told Fox News in a statement Tuesday that Awan has now been fired.

"Mr. Awan previously served as a part-time employee, but his services have been terminated," the statement asserted.

Fox News also reported the counsel for Wasserman Schultz recently began negotiating with Capitol Police for access to her laptop in the case.

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