Here’s what to know about the congressional race to replace Frederica Wilson
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson’s announcement that she would not seek reelection sent a political shockwave across South Florida, opening up the opportunity for new politicos to vie for the coveted seat she’s held for 15 years.
In the weeks since she announced, 10 challengers have entered the race, making it all the more complicated for voters to decide who has their best interest at heart and will address affordability while being accessible to constituents. Here is what residents need to know about District 24 and race to succeed Wilson:
The district’s history
In 1992, Florida elected its first three Black congressional representatives since Reconstruction. The move came after Black Democrats aligned with white Republican legislators to convince a federal court to create three congressional districts to elect the state’s first Black member of Congress since 1876.
A 1992 redrawn map resulted in three Black Democrats being elected to Congress at that time: Corrine Brown in Jacksonville, Alcee Hastings in Broward County and Carrie Meek in Miami-Dade County, and gave those communities minority representation at the federal level for the first time in history.
Meek, who served in the Florida legislature, held the seat until 2003. Her son, Kendrick Meek ran for her seat and served from 2003 to 2011, and Wilson succeeded him after his failed bid for the U.S. Senate. The district is home to 830,040 residents with a largely Black and Latino population with a large immigrant population, according to the 2024 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census.
Why the race is significant
The race comes months after the Florida legislature voted to redraw congressional lines that added Black voters to District 24 while nearby District 20, a historically Black voting district, saw an increase in white neighborhoods. Wilson had waited to announce her decision to not run for reelection after redistricting for fear of what might happen to the district, she told the Herald.
While the district has a sizeable Black voting bloc, the race also marks a shift at a politically divisive time for Black constituents: statewide and nationally, anti-diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have diminished and the Voting Rights Act was again curtailed with the Supreme Court ruling that determined that considering race in drawing congressional maps can qualify as racial gerrymandering – even if it’s done to avoid racially discriminatory maps that diminish Black voters’ power.
Who are the candidates:
Ten candidates are vying for Wilson’s seat:
Te Mayonna Brown, an entrepreneur
Andy Daro, North Bay Village Commissioner and real estate broker
Marshall L. Davis, longtime director of the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center
Oliver Gilbert, outgoing Miami-Dade County Commissioner (who received an endorsement from Wilson)
Patricia Gonzalez, an entrepreneur
Shevrin Jones, outgoing Florida state senator
Kendrick Meek Jr., attorney; late Congresswoman Carrie Meek’s grandson
Jean Monestime, former Miami-Dade County Commissioner
Rudy Moise, physician
Roderick Vereen, attorney
The Herald, in conjunction with MIA Media Group, NBC6, and WLRN is hosting a candidate forum at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22 at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex. Register here.
Endorsements shaping the race
Gilbert, Jones and Meek are walking into the race with key endorsements. Last Month, Wilson endorsed Gilbert in an event that included a ceremonial passing of the torch. Jones has received endorsements from at least a dozen Black clergy. Meek has swept key endorsements from the D.C. guard including political kingmaker U.S. Congressman Jim Clyburn and former Congressional Black Caucus chair and U.S. Congressman Steven Horsford and has received key local endorsements from NBA Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning and Miami-Dade County school board member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall.
When is the primary:
The primary is Tuesday, Aug. 18. Early voting in Miami-Dade County begins Aug. 3 and early voting in Broward County begins Aug. 8. The last day to register to vote is July 20.
Residents can check their voter registration status at https://registration.dos.fl.gov/en/CheckVoterStatus/Index.
Voters in Miami-Dade can find more information about elections at https://www.votemiamidade.gov/elections/home.page.
Broward County residents can find election information at https://browardvotes.gov/.
