Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is facing growing criticism as her bid for a new congressional seat draws opposition from some Black leaders and questions from fellow Democrats.
According to Fox News, the longtime Florida congresswoman’s campaign hit another hurdle Tuesday when House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declined to endorse her re-election effort in a majority-Black district she entered earlier this year.
Asked whether he supported Wasserman Schultz’s candidacy, Jeffries stopped short of backing the veteran lawmaker.
“Haven’t made a decision, as it relates to that particular race,” he told reporters.
Jeffries acknowledged speaking with Wasserman Schultz, who serves on his leadership team, but emphasized that candidates must make their case directly to voters.
“Everybody has a right to run where they see fit. They’ve got to make their case to the people that they hope to represent moving forward,” he said.
He also pointed to broader concerns about Black political representation, saying Democrats should be mindful of the current environment.
“I think we all recognize the sensitivities of the moment in terms of an unprecedented Jim Crow-like assault on Black political representation that has been unleashed by the Supreme Court’s outrageous decision to gut the Voting Rights Act,” Jeffries said.
The comments come as Wasserman Schultz faces a crowded Democratic primary in the Fort Lauderdale-based district, which has been represented by a Black member of Congress for more than 30 years.
Among her challengers is progressive activist Elijah Manley, who quickly seized on Jeffries’ remarks.
“First, she said the CBC encouraged her to run. The CBC Chair said they did not,” Manley wrote on social media.
“Then she went on TV and said that Leader Jeffries was supporting her. Jeffries just declined to endorse her.”
“It is not a good day to be named Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Florida’s 20th District,” he added.
Despite the criticism, Wasserman Schultz enters the race with a major financial advantage. Federal Election Commission filings show her campaign has more than $2.5 million cash on hand.
She faces several notable opponents in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary.
Former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is seeking a return to Congress after resigning earlier this year amid an ethics investigation and looming expulsion threat. Cherfilus-McCormick is also facing criminal charges related to allegations that she stole more than $5 million in disaster relief funds.
Former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness and musician Luther Campbell are also competing for the nomination.
Wasserman Schultz, who first won election to Congress in 2004, previously served as chair of the Democratic National Committee. Her current race follows a redistricting overhaul in Florida that altered the boundaries of her former safe Democratic district.
With Jeffries declining to offer an endorsement and criticism continuing to mount, the contest is shaping up as one of Florida’s most closely watched Democratic primaries.