Rap Icon “Uncle Luke” to Take on U.S. Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick in Primary Challenge

by Kevin Deutsch February 16, 2026

45Shares

Rap Icon “Uncle Luke” to Take on U.S. Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick in Primary Challenge 3

Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell {David Cabrera via Wikipedia}

Rap icon Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell says he is entering the Democratic primary race for Florida’s 20th Congressional District, setting up a high-profile challenge to U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick in a district that includes Tamarac.

Campbell, a longtime South Florida entertainer and community activist, announced his candidacy during a televised interview on WPLG’s “This Week in South Florida” over the weekend. He said residents across the district want stronger engagement and more consistent visibility from their representative in Washington.

“I’m going to have a lot of money,” Campbell said. “Every artist, every artist that I produce, and every artist by creating Southern hip-hop will be donating to this campaign.”

“In this race, who’s gonna be able to go talk to Marco Rubio? Who’s gonna be able to go talk to Donald Trump? Me. I’m the only one that can do that. Nobody else in this race he would respect. Nobody in this race. I mean, I got Marco Rubio on speed dial.”

Florida’s 20th Congressional District spans a broad swath of Broward and Palm Beach counties. In Broward, it includes Tamarac, Lauderhill, and North Lauderdale, among other municipalities. The seat is considered heavily Democratic, making the August primary the decisive contest — unless district lines in Florida are redrawn, as favored by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Cherfilus-McCormick first won her congressional seat in a 2022 special election and has since won reelection. She maintains a district office in Tamarac and has highlighted her work on federal funding for local programs, economic development, and constituent services across the region.

Her tenure has recently been clouded by legal troubles. Federal prosecutors filed charges alleging she defrauded the government out of millions of dollars in federal disaster relief funds and committed related financial misconduct.

Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations, saying she will continue to serve constituents while contesting the case in court.

Campbell, 65, a Miami native, is best known for his role in shaping South Florida’s hip-hop scene as a member of 2 Live Crew and later as a record executive. Beyond music, he has been involved in youth sports and civic initiatives in South Florida. He stepped down earlier this year as head football coach at Miami Edison High School, a move that fueled speculation about a political bid.

Several other Democrats and Republicans are also challenging the incumbent congresswoman.

Got News? Send it to Tamarac Talk. Don’t Miss Reading NW Broward County’s #1 News Sites: Margate Talk, Coral Springs Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, Parkland Talk, and Sunrise FL Talk.

Author Profile

Kevin Deutsch

Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning journalist and author of two nonfiction books. He covers general assignment news and Jewish community issues for Talk Media. He has also worked as a staff writer at The Miami Times, the Rio Grande SUN, the New York Daily News, Newsday, The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post, The Riverdale Press, and Bronx Justice News.