Frederica Wilson-endorsed candidate wins primary to fill her South Florida seat
Overview:
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III won the Democratic primary for Florida’s 24th Congressional District, defeating six other candidates and advancing to the November general election for the seat held by longtime Rep. Frederica Wilson.
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III won the Democratic primary Tuesday for Florida’s 24th Congressional District, putting him one step closer to succeeding longtime U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson in a district that includes Little Haiti and several other South Florida communities.
State Sen. Shevrin Jones conceded the race Tuesday night as he trailed Gilbert by about 2 percentage points. Gilbert defeated six other Democrats competing for the open seat, including former U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime and physician and veteran Rudolph Moise.
Gilbert will face Republican T.E. Brown in the November general election.
Wilson, who has represented the district since 2011, is not seeking reelection.
The district stretches across predominantly Black and Hispanic communities in northern Miami-Dade and southern Broward counties. It includes Miami Gardens, Opa-locka, North Miami, Little Haiti, Brownsville, West Park, Pembroke Park and parts of Miramar and Miami.
Gilbert, who received Wilson’s endorsement, made his experience in local government a central part of his campaign. He previously served as mayor of Miami Gardens before becoming a Miami-Dade County commissioner.
Haitian and Haitian American candidates are competing for governor and congressional seats in South Florida as voters head to the polls Tuesday.
During the primary campaign, Gilbert pointed to affordability and access to health care as major concerns for voters.
When asked about the biggest issue facing District 24 voters, Gilbert said, “It’s definitely affordability.”
He also proposed lowering the age for Medicare eligibility and raising Medicaid income limits.
“You shouldn’t be priced out of health coverage just because you get a job,” Gilbert said.
The November election will determine who succeeds Wilson in a district where Democratic voters have historically made up a large share of the electorate.
For Haitian voters and communities in Little Haiti and neighboring areas, the race will also determine who represents them in Congress on issues including health care, affordability and other federal policies affecting South Florida.
“All of the men who were in this race are friends of mine,” Wilson told WLRN on Tuesday night. “I watched everyone and I came to the conclusion that it should be Oliver Gilbert. Oliver is generous, he has stamina, and he is stern.”