Seven issues. Seven candidates. One question: who’s earning your vote?
Tomorrow, August 18, South Florida voters will decide two of the most consequential congressional primaries in the state. Florida’s 24th and 20th Congressional Districts are both open seats, both in majority-Black communities, and both will determine who carries the policy agenda for nearly 1.6 million residents across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
This isn’t a generic voter guide. We identified the seven policy issues that directly determine whether Black professionals in these districts build generational wealth, or get stuck on the sideline while the region grows around them. Then we mapped every frontrunner’s platform against those issues.
No endorsements. No vibes. Just the policy.
The Seven Issues That Matter to Legacy Builders
Most voter guides organize around broad themes like “the economy” or “healthcare.” We went deeper. These are the seven issues that sit at the intersection of policy and wealth-building for Black professionals in South Florida.
1. Homeownership & Property Insurance
Florida premiums are 3-4x the national average, turning your first wealth vehicle into a liability. Black homeownership in the state sits at roughly 46%, compared to 73% for white households. The question isn’t just whether you can buy a home. It’s whether you can afford to keep it.
2. Zoning & Land Use Reform
Zoning decides who profits from South Florida’s growth and who gets developed around. Every rezoning decision, every density approval, every mixed-use designation determines whether legacy builders become developers or tenants in their own neighborhoods.
3. College Debt & Workforce Pipelines
Black graduates carry $25,000 more in student debt on average, delaying wealth-building by a decade. That’s a decade of postponed first homes, postponed investments, and postponed business starts. The pipeline from degree to wealth shouldn’t come with a penalty.
4. Tax Policy & Wealth Preservation
Building wealth means nothing if you can’t transfer it. Estate taxes, capital gains policy, and small business deductions determine whether your legacy compounds across generations or resets to zero.
5. DEI Rollbacks & Contracting Access
Florida’s anti-DEI laws and federal program cuts are shrinking the pipeline for Black professionals in corporate and government contracting. The money didn’t disappear. It shifted to people who already had access.
6. Healthcare & the Entrepreneurship Tax
Florida is a non-expansion Medicaid state. Leaving your job to start a business means gambling your family’s health coverage. Healthcare tied to employment is a ceiling on Black entrepreneurship, full stop.
7. Digital Assets & Financial Innovation
Crypto is being structured as a new asset class. Whether Black professionals will be at the table when the rules get written depends on the funders and the policy. This isn’t about speculation today. It’s about access tomorrow.
District 24: Replacing Frederica Wilson
Florida’s 24th Congressional District stretches across Miami Gardens, North Miami, Opa-locka, Little Haiti, Miami Beach, and Surfside. Just three people have held this seat since 1993. Now, seven Democrats are competing to succeed retiring Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, and the winner of tomorrow’s primary will almost certainly win the general election in November.
Three candidates lead the race. We mapped their platforms against the seven legacy-builder issues.
Shevrin D. Jones (State Senator): The widest policy coverage of any candidate. Dedicated positions on homeownership and insurance reform, college affordability (“The Cost of College”), tax policy (“Tax Wealth, Not Work”), healthcare, DEI/civil rights, and digital assets. A FAMU alum who served on the White House Presidential Advisory Council on HBCUs. Background in nonprofit economic development through Entrepreneurship for All and Moneythink.
Oliver Gilbert III (Miami-Dade Commissioner): The deepest record on business and land use. His BUILD Business Act proposes $5,000-$25,000 small business grants, SBA modernization, and pairing capital with mentorship. As Commissioner, he ran the “Mom and Pop” grant program and led county-level housing and zoning decisions. Strong on healthcare (“Put People First”) and workforce development (BUILD Act for education).
Kendrick Meek Jr. (Attorney): Strongest on affordability and homeownership. Explicit positions on down payment assistance, cracking down on private equity firms buying neighborhoods, and first-time homebuyer programs. Carries the weight of a political family legacy (his grandmother and father both held this seat). Lighter on zoning/land use specifics and digital assets.
District 24 Communities & Zip Codes
Miami-Dade: 33010, 33012, 33013, 33014, 33015, 33016, 33018 (Hialeah/Miami Lakes/Hialeah Gardens), 33054 (Opa-locka), 33055, 33056, 33169 (Miami Gardens), 33109 (Fisher Island), 33127, 33137, 33138, 33147, 33150 (Miami), 33139, 33140, 33141 (Miami Beach), 33154 (Surfside/Bal Harbour), 33160, 33161, 33162, 33167, 33168, 33181 (North Miami/North Miami Beach), 33166 (Miami Springs/Virginia Gardens), 33172, 33178 (Doral), 33179 (Ives Estates), 33180 (Aventura)
Broward: 33004 (Dania Beach), 33009 (Hallandale Beach), 33019, 33020, 33021 (Hollywood), 33023 (Miramar), 33024, 33025, 33026, 33028 (Pembroke Pines), 33027, 33029 (Miramar), 33330 (Cooper City/Davie), 33331 (Southwest Ranches)
District 20: The Most Contested Seat in South Florida
Florida’s 20th Congressional District covers central and western Broward County and parts of Palm Beach County, including Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Tamarac, North Lauderdale, Plantation, Sunrise, West Palm Beach, and Riviera Beach. This district has been represented by Black lawmakers for 34 years.
The 2026 race is loaded with context. Mid-decade redistricting made the seat bluer. Sitting Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz jumped in from a neighboring district, sparking controversy. Former Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned amid an ethics investigation, is running to reclaim her seat. And two candidates with deep Broward roots are making their case.
Four candidates lead the Democratic primary.
Dale Holness (Former Broward County Mayor): The most comprehensive platform for legacy builders. Explicit policies on affordable housing, SBA expansion for minority businesses, tax relief for working families, student debt reduction, workforce training, and Medicare for All with medical debt cancellation. A real estate broker by trade with 18 years in elected office. He led Broward County through COVID.
Luther Campbell (Businessman): The cultural pioneer and entrepreneur known as Uncle Luke. Strong on workforce pipelines (trade schools, technology training, mentoring), small and minority-owned business support, affordable housing, and insurance reform. Has spent 20+ years investing in underserved communities. Fought for First Amendment rights before the Supreme Court. Less specific on tax policy and healthcare details.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Congresswoman): Florida’s senior Democratic congresswoman with a seat on the House Appropriations Committee. Brings institutional power and seniority. Strong on healthcare (Medicare/Social Security protection) and housing affordability. Her entry into a historically Black district has been controversial, with opponents accusing her of undermining Black political representation.
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Former Congresswoman): A healthcare executive who previously held this seat. Platform centered on housing solutions, economic recovery, healthcare (reducing prescription costs, maternal health), small business support, and civil rights. Running on representation in a Black-access district.
District 20 Communities & Zip Codes (Broward County Only)
33060, 33062, 33064 (Pompano Beach/Lighthouse Point), 33063, 33066, 33073 (Coconut Creek/Margate), 33065, 33067, 33071 (Coral Springs), 33068 (North Lauderdale/Margate), 33069 (Pompano Beach), 33076 (Parkland), 33305, 33306, 33334 (Fort Lauderdale/Wilton Manors/Oakland Park), 33309 (Fort Lauderdale), 33311 (Fort Lauderdale/Lauderdale Lakes), 33313 (Lauderhill), 33314 (Davie), 33317 (Plantation), 33319 (Tamarac/Lauderhill), 33321 (Tamarac), 33322 (Plantation), 33323, 33351 (Sunrise), 33441, 33442 (Deerfield Beach)
What Else Is on the Ballot
Congress isn’t the only thing you’re voting on tomorrow. The decisions that most affect where you live, work, and do business are often made at the local level.
Statewide:
Governor (DeSantis is term-limited), U.S. Senate special election, Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture, State House and State Senate races.
Miami-Dade County (D24 voters):
County Commission District 2, School Board District 1 (Miami Gardens area, open seat), School Board District 8, Circuit Court Judges, City of Miami ballot questions, and municipal races in North Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, and North Miami.
Broward County (D20 voters + part of D24):
County Commission District 6, Circuit and County Court Judges, and municipal races by city.
Palm Beach County (western D20 voters):
County Commission, school board, and judicial races.
What Legacy Will Your Vote Create?
When thinking about where you live, work, or do business, think to yourself: how can the people I elect help me create a region that mirrors the values and lifestyle I want myself and loved ones to experience?
Your vote is a capital allocation decision. Make it count.
Florida Primary Election Day: Tuesday, August 18. Polls open 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Review your ballot and find your polling location at dos.fl.gov/elections.
Published by the Black Professionals Network. This guide is informational and does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate.