Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
By Kevin Deutsch
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was certified as the official winner Tuesday in the 20th Congressional District Democratic Primary, officials said.
The lawyer and health care executive, who spent millions of her own money to best a crowded field of competitors, was declared the winner at a certification meeting of state officials, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody, who made the motion to certify the Nov. 2 primary results, officials said.
In a race that took ten days and multiple recounts to decide, McCormick defeated Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness by five votes – 11,662 to 11,657.
None of the nine other Democrats in the crowded primary field approached Cherfilus-McCormick or Holness’s vote totals to replace the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings.
Cherfilus-McCormick’s election would make history; she would be the first Haitian-American member to represent South Florida in the U.S. Congress.
She will square off against Republican Jason Mariner, a first-time candidate and recovering drug addict who defeated Greg Musselwhite. Several independent candidates and a libertarian will also be on the ballot.
Cherfilus-McCormick is expected to secure an easy victory in the overwhelmingly Democratic district, covering Tamarac, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Belle Glade.
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