Frederica Wilson announced she will not run again for Congress ahead of November’s midterm elections. Her decision follows a broader pattern of aging members stepping aside and comes as Black political power faces increased pressure after the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act. Republicans are redrawing congressional maps, and the Congressional Black Caucus could lose up to one-third of its members. Florida approved a Republican-favoring map, though Wilson’s Miami-based district remains strongly Democratic. Wilson previously denied retirement rumors, then explained she tried to time her announcement strategically due to GOP redistricting. She said she did not want to gamble that District 24 would be taken away, and she questioned whether her absence would make the district an easier target.
"Wilson’s announcement makes her the latest in a line of aging members of Congress to choose not to run again ahead of November's midterm elections. It also comes amid growing challenges to Black political power in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling gutting the Voting Rights Act. As Republicans rush to redraw congressional maps ahead of this year's midterm elections, the Congressional Black Caucus - of which Wilson is a member - is poised to lose up to one-third of its members."
"Wilson then conducted an exclusive interview with the Miami Herald that published Friday, in which she explained she'd tried to be "politically strategic" about her announcement given GOP redistricting. She added that she felt the weight of the decision given that her predecessor was Carrie Meek, a Black leader, saying, "I didn't want to gamble on this seat being taken away from us.""
""I figured if I announced that I was retiring, what would the Legislature and the governor do? What would they say? Would District 24 be an easy target because Frederica is no longer there? I'm a strong candidate," she said. "With me not here, would that weaken the survival of District 24?""
"Wilson is one of the most recognizable members of the House, known for a distinctive style that includes brightly colored clothing and matching cowboy hats. She had previously denied rumors that she was retiring, calling them "crazy." "I'm almost distraught," she told Axios last week. "It's not true. I am still planning on running.""
#us-midterm-elections #redistricting #voting-rights-act #congressional-black-caucus #frederica-wilson
Read at POLITICO
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]