BROWARD COUNTY, FL — Voters in Florida’s 20th Congressional District went to the polls Tuesday, August 18, 2026, delivering primary wins to Debbie Wasserman Schultz on the Democratic side and Brent Andersen for the Republicans, setting up a November 3 general election matchup — one that will also include independent candidate Kedner Maxime.

Why the Seat Was Open

The race carries unusual weight because it isn’t a typical open-seat contest. Former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who had represented the district since winning a January 2022 special election, resigned in April 2026 — minutes before the House Ethics Committee was set to vote on a motion to expel her. The committee’s investigation, running since November 2023, found her responsible on 25 of 27 charges related to alleged campaign finance violations tied to her 2022 special election and re-election campaigns. Separately, she was indicted in November 2025 on federal charges of laundering roughly $5 million in COVID-19 relief funds and funneling that money into her congressional campaign — an offense that, if she is convicted, could carry a sentence of up to 53 years in prison.

Cherfilus-McCormick nonetheless entered Tuesday’s Democratic primary seeking to reclaim her old seat, arguing for a political comeback even as her legal case continues.

The Democratic Primary Results

According to results shown on election-results tracking, the Democratic field was crowded and closely watched for its racial and generational dynamics:

  • Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) — 30.5K votes (45%) — WINNER
  • Dale V.C. Holness (D) — 15.5K votes (23%)
  • Elijah Manley (D) — 9.4K votes (14%)
  • Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D) — 6.2K votes (9%)
  • Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell (D) — 5.7K votes (8%)

Wasserman Schultz, a longtime member of Congress, entered the FL-20 race after Florida’s Republican-led redistricting made her previous seat, District 25, significantly less favorable for Democrats. Her decision to run in District 20 — a majority-Black district that has been represented by Black lawmakers for 34 consecutive years — drew immediate pushback from several of her Black Democratic rivals, including Cherfilus-McCormick, former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness, teacher and activist Elijah Manley, and rapper-turned-community-activist Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell. The four discussed coalescing behind a single consensus candidate to avoid splitting the district’s Black vote and denying Wasserman Schultz the nomination, but no agreement was reached before the candidate qualifying deadline, and the plan collapsed amid infighting.

With the Democratic field divided, Wasserman Schultz’s name recognition and institutional support proved decisive, and she was declared the projected winner by Decision Desk HQ Tuesday evening.

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s bid to return to the seat she resigned from earlier this year fell short, finishing fourth with 9% of the vote — meaning the district will not be represented by the Haitian-American congresswoman who had held the seat for two full terms and made history as the first Haitian-American woman elected to Congress.

The Republican Primary Results

On the Republican side, results showed:

  • Brent Andersen (R) — 7.4K votes (54%) — WINNER
  • Rod Joseph (R) — 2.8K votes (20%)
  • Carla Spalding (R) — 2.7K votes (20%)
  • Lateresa “LA” Jones (R) — 865 votes (6%)

Andersen, a Republican businessman, won a clear majority over a divided field. Rod Joseph, a Haitian-American candidate, placed second with 20% of the vote, essentially tied with Carla Spalding, but was unable to overtake Andersen’s majority.

No Haitian-American Nominee Heading to November

With both Cherfilus-McCormick’s comeback bid and Rod Joseph’s Republican campaign falling short on the same night, neither major party’s nominee for Florida’s 20th Congressional District will be a Haitian-American candidate in the November general election — a notable shift for a South Florida district that includes significant Haitian-American communities and had been represented by a Haitian-American member of Congress since 2022.

What’s Next

Wasserman Schultz and Andersen will face off in the November 3, 2026 general election, along with independent candidate Kedner Maxime. Given the district’s strong Democratic lean, Wasserman Schultz enters the general election as the heavy favorite, though some political observers have raised questions about whether lingering frustration among Black Democratic voters over her district switch could affect turnout or enthusiasm in the fall campaign.

Cherfilus-McCormick’s federal criminal case, meanwhile, continues separately from the electoral outcome and is unaffected by Tuesday’s results.

This article is based on primary election results current as of August 18–19, 2026, and public reporting on the district’s ethics and legal background. Final, certified vote totals may differ slightly from initial reported results.