Edmonson Challenges Wilson For Congress

Miami FL

24 March, 2022

1:00 PM

Description

By Bianca Marcof, Miami Times Staff Writer, the Miami Times Mar 22, 2022 Audrey Edmonson returned to her political roots at El Portal Village Tuesday morning, as she made the unexpected announcement that she's launching a campaign for U.S. Congress to try to unseat U.S. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson in November. "I take no pleasure in challenging her, as we agree on most issues that Democrats like us feel very passionate about," the former Miami-Dade County commissioner and board chair said, referring to Wilson. "However, neglecting to do the job that voters elected her to do is simply unacceptable. Our residents deserve a real voice in Congress, and someone willing to show up for work and fight for Florida families." Those were fighting words. Wilson has represented Florida's 24th Congressional District, covering a large swath of Miami-Dade County and southern Broward County, since 2013. Her term is up in January 2023. Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson announcing a free coronavirus testing partnership with Jessie Trice Community Health System at a press conference in November 2020, with Mayors Francis Suarez and Daniella Levine Cava by her side. (Johania Charles for The Miami Times) Edmonson accuses the congresswoman of being a frequent user of proxy voting, which was instituted during the pandemic so that any member who was sick or in quarantine could still cast a vote without physically having to appear in the chamber. A 2021 report by The Floridian looking at the total votes cast during the 117th congress (Jan. 3 – Nov. 26) found that the two top members who had voted by proxy were Wilson and Rep. Al Lawson. Wilson voted by proxy 375 times without missing a single vote. The Miami Times was unable to receive comment from Wilson by print deadline. "As a member of Congress, you've got to show up and participate in the debates and deliberations that take place on the House floor, and in the important committees you are assigned to serve," Edmonson remarked. Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson is joined by her family, friends and pastor at El Portal Village Hall, as she announces her run for U.S. Congress. (Bianca Marcof for The Miami Times) She also listed Democratic issues she aims to tackle, such as fighting for living wages, an adequate number of affordable housing, ensuring voting rights to the most vulnerable, and taking action on the climate crisis and sea-level rise. Edmonson especially wants to advocate for legislation addressing gun violence, not just in her community, but the country. "As a congresswoman, I will use my extensive experience as a county commissioner, board chair and mayor of one of our beloved cities to not only show up, but step up," she said. "As well as provide my constituents with the best public service they expect and deserve." Edmonson even took a jab at Wilson's trademark personal style – which includes wearing flashy and colorful cowboy hats. Wilson has previously fought back against a hat ban in the House during sessions. "I will guarantee you that my first order of business will not, and I repeat, will not be to change House rules to my own self-interest. And certainly not related to my own personal style of clothing," Edmonson said. Audrey Edmonson was a Miami-Dade County commissioner for 14 years. (MiamiDade.gov) Edmonson launched her political career in 1999 as the Village of El Portal mayor and went on to serve 14 years on the Miami-Dade County Commission representing District 3, before being termed out in 2020 and replaced by Commissioner Keon Hardemon. While on the commission, she served a two-year term as board chair. Currently serving as chair for education and workforce subcommittees in the U.S. Congress and hosting community events for the 5000 Role Models of Excellence program that she founded, Wilson was first elected to the Miami-Dade Florida County School Board in 1992 where she spent six years. She served in the Florida House and Senate through the late 1990s and 2000s and has been in Congress since 2010. Edmonson had been rumored to be eying the Florida House District 24 seat for quite some time. 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.