The Race To Fill Alcee Hastings' Big Shoes

Miami FL

05 May, 2021

12:43 PM

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By Selena Stanley, Miami Times Staff Writer May 4, 2021 A dozen candidates have joined the race to fill the big shoes left behind by the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, in what some have called a political free-for-all. Since congressional seats don't often become available, both career politicians and newcomers have chosen to seize the once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a member of Congress. But Gov. Ron DeSantis has decided to turn this already contentious match of political chess into a waiting game. He announced Tuesday that the special primary election to replace Hastings would take place Nov. 2, and the general election would take place Jan. 11 - leaving the residents of Florida's 20th congressional district without representation for over nine months, and candidates frustrated. The Constitution gives governors the responsibility of calling elections to fill vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Florida law gives the governor broad authority to decide on the timing of special primary and general elections. Hastings passed away almost a month ago on April 6, and DeSantis was silent about the situation up until announcing the election. This prompted candidates to grow concerned about how long the governor would wait. Now, with the primary and general election scheduled, another concern has arisen. The residents of District 20 will have to go without representation for far longer than normal - an intentional move by DeSantis, motivated by several political factors. "I think the real issue regarding this, is what's happening in Congress right now," said Christopher Norwood, local political consultant and principal of the Norwood Consulting Group. "There's a slim majority of six votes, 218 to 212, and we know this seat would be a vote for the Democrats." 20th Congressional District Boundaries District 20, which includes portions of both Broward and Palm Beach counties, has been historically Democratic since its inception in 1992. After revisions to the federal Voting Rights Act in the mid-1980s, the district's boundaries were drawn to increase the chances of someone from a minority group winning the election. This provision is what allowed Hastings to be nominated. A majority (69.1%) of the district's registered voters live in Broward. The remaining voters (30.9%) live in Palm Beach. The area is also largely left-leaning, with 62% of voters registered as Democrats, 13% of voters registered as Republicans and 24% registered with no party affiliation. As far as race and ethnic background, 53% of residents are Black or African American, 23% are Hispanic or Latino and 19% are white, according to U.S. Census data. Norwood says it's in the governor's best interest to leave the congressional seat empty for as long as possible. Delaying the special election effectively gives DeSantis the power to swing a vote in the house because of the Democrat's shaky majority. The policing reform bill or President Joe Biden's infrastructure and jobs bill are the likely targets of DeSantis' sabotage. Norwood said DeSantis could also have another political motivation. "Any governor or U.S. senator from Florida is always considering a run for president," Norwood said. "That's because Florida is a crucial swing state. So, the governor very well could be considering a run for president. He is definitely of the political lineage of the previous president, and would speak to that same audience." One of the candidates agrees. "It is my concerted belief that the governor of Florida has intentionally disenfranchised nearly 800,000 residents of District 20," said candidate Elvin Dowling of Broward County. "I believe he's doing so for the expressed political purpose of currying favor with far right-wing extremists to win the presidential nomination for the Republican Party in 2024." Congressional candidate Elvin Dowling at a news conference in West Palm Beach announcing his filed lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis on April 30, 2021./WPTV Dowling – a public speaker, Pulitzer Prize-nominated author and former chief of staff for the National Urban League – filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis on April 29. The lawsuit claimed that a failure to call the special election, at that point, was depriving the district's residents of their right to vote. Preventing them from electing a representative to the U.S. House constituted "voter suppression" and also interfered with Dowling's "First Amendment rights to engage in political speech and activities," according to court documents. "The date he has set confirms my initial instincts, which was to believe that he was not operating in the best interest of the people," he said. "We plan to press forward with the issue, and let a judge determine whether or not his intransigence is merely an accident or intentional." Dowling plans to consult with his lawyers about the next steps for the lawsuit. There is no legal precedent for his claims, but they definitely send a message. Candidates are eager to fill the spot Hastings left. Dowling said Hastings was like a father to him. Early in his career, he served as one of the congressman's interns. Hastings also wrote the forward of Dowling's 2020 book, "Still Invisible? Examining America's Black Male Crisis." Another prominent candidate in the race has a connection to the famed congressman as well. Former Broward County mayor and current county commissioner Dale Holness was endorsed by Alcee "Jody" Hastings II, son of the late U.S. representative. The Democratic primary includes eight other candidates: Perry Thurston, state senator for Florida's 33rd District Priscilla Taylor, former state representative and 2019 West Palm Beach mayoral candidate Bobby DuBose, Florida House of Representatives minority leader Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a health care executive from Hollywood who ran against Hastings in 2020 and received 30.7% of the vote in the Democratic primary Omari Hardy, state representative for Florida's 88th District Marlon Onias, a Fort Lauderdale attorney Matt Boswell, a Fort Lauderdale business owner Barbara Sharief, former mayor of Broward County and current Broward County commissioner A crowded Democratic primary means anyone can win the race with just a slim majority. Special elections are also notorious for their low voter turnout – an advantage for those who campaign hard and a liability for those inexperienced in politics. The chosen Democratic candidate will face off against one of two Republican contenders: Greg Musselwhite, who took 21% against Hastings in November, or Lateresa Jones, who has run for the U.S. Senate, Congress and lieutenant governor in past Republican primaries. Political repercussions for Florida Adding to the political intrigue are new revisions to Florida's resign-to-run law. According to Florida statutes, individuals who hold political office cannot run for another political office if the terms coincide. They must resign from their current position to be an eligible candidate for another one. But the recently passed Florida Senate Bill 90 makes a curious revision to the statute, requiring the governor to appoint replacements for a member of a county or municipal elected body who resigns to run for another office, instead of voters choosing them in a special election. Republican lawmakers said the language was meant to simplify state law in scenarios where people resign. However, Democrats are saying this is a power grab aimed at controlling the congressional race. Five of the 10 Democratic primary candidates currently hold other political offices and will have to resign to run for congress. This race will prompt a ripple effect of vacancies in the state Senate, state of House of Representatives and Broward County Commission. Moreover, DeSantis will now have the authority to appoint replacements at the county and municipal levels. "This is a brazen effort to transfer power from local voters to the governor," said Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park. "Resign to run is structured to consolidate the cascading special elections, allowing municipalities to take advantage of the already set special election." Jones, a vocal critic of DeSantis' actions, says the provision in Senate Bill 90 is directly aimed at those running for the District 20 congressional seat. When the time comes for Broward County commissioners Holness and Sharief to resign their positions, DeSantis will have the only deciding vote for Broward's future. Every current member of the commission is a Democrat. Appointing two Republicans would be the ultimate power play. Additionally, the upcoming reapportionment process could pose another issue. The often controversial task, which takes place every 10 years, involves the redrawing of congressional district lines to reflect population change. The Census Bureau recently announced that Florida gained one new U.S. House seat, after a 14.6% population gain from 2010-2020. District's 20's boundaries, along with its political and racial demographics, may change, depending on where the new congressional district is placed. The candidate chosen to complete the time remaining in Hastings' term would have the benefit of name recognition and incumbency in the 2022 midterm elections. However, winning reelection next year could prove more difficult if the new District 20 boundaries make the district less lopsided toward Democrats with a more even split between Democrats and Republicans. Outside of District 20, Broward and Palm Beach counties are still heavily Democratic. According to U.S. Census data, 50% of Broward County's total registered voters are Democrats, and 42% of registered voters in Palm Beach also are Democrats. Although it's unlikely the district will become more Republican, gerrymandering the district could produce an outcome skewed toward the governor's wishes. The stakes are high and this race is one to watch, as the games continue. The Miami Times is the largest Black-owned newspaper in the south serving Miami's Black community since 1923. The award-winning weekly is frequently recognized as the best Black newspaper in the country by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.