Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III gained the Democratic major Tuesday for Florida’s twenty fourth Congressional District, placing him one step nearer to succeeding longtime U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson in a district that features Little Haiti and several other different South Florida communities.
State Sen. Shevrin Jones conceded the race Tuesday night time as he trailed Gilbert by about 2 proportion factors. Gilbert defeated six different Democrats competing for the open seat, together with former U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime and doctor and veteran Rudolph Moise.
Gilbert will face Republican T.E. Brown within the November normal election.
Wilson, who has represented the district since 2011, is just not in search of reelection.
The district stretches throughout predominantly Black and Hispanic communities in northern Miami-Dade and southern Broward counties. It contains Miami Gardens, Opa-locka, North Miami, Little Haiti, Brownsville, West Park, Pembroke Park and components of Miramar and Miami.
Gilbert, who obtained Wilson’s endorsement, made his expertise in native authorities a central a part of his marketing campaign. He beforehand served as mayor of Miami Gardens earlier than turning into a Miami-Dade County commissioner.
In the course of the major marketing campaign, Gilbert pointed to affordability and entry to well being care as main issues for voters.
When requested in regards to the largest subject dealing with District 24 voters, Gilbert stated, “It’s positively affordability.”
He additionally proposed reducing the age for Medicare eligibility and elevating Medicaid revenue limits.
“You shouldn’t be priced out of well being protection simply since you get a job,” Gilbert stated.
The November election will decide who succeeds Wilson in a district the place Democratic voters have traditionally made up a big share of the voters.
For Haitian voters and communities in Little Haiti and neighboring areas, the race will even decide who represents them in Congress on points together with well being care, affordability and different federal insurance policies affecting South Florida.
“All the males who have been on this race are buddies of mine,” Wilson advised WLRN on Tuesday night time. “I watched everybody and I got here to the conclusion that it must be Oliver Gilbert. Oliver is beneficiant, he has stamina, and he’s stern.”
The submit Frederica Wilson-endorsed candidate wins major to fill her South Florida seat appeared first on The Haitian Occasions.