Six Haitian Candidates on Florida's Aug. 18 Primary Ballot
Haitian and Haitian American contenders compete for governor and South Florida congressional seats as voters head to the polls.
Florida voters headed to the polls Tuesday for an Aug. 18 primary featuring at least six Haitian and Haitian American candidates seeking congressional and statewide office, according to The Haitian Times. The candidates span both major parties and include two gubernatorial hopefuls and four congressional contenders, several running in South Florida districts with large Haitian communities. Florida is a closed-primary state, meaning voters may generally vote only in the primary of their registered party.
Former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is seeking a return to Congress in a crowded Democratic primary for District 20. She became the first Haitian American Democrat elected to Congress in 2022 but resigned in April 2026 ahead of a House Ethics Committee hearing tied to allegations she misused federal disaster relief funds; she has denied wrongdoing. Republican Army veteran Rod Joseph is also running in District 20.
In District 24, former Miami-Dade Commissioner Jean Monestime and physician Rudolph Moise are among seven Democrats vying to succeed retiring Rep. Frederica Wilson. The district includes Little Haiti, North Miami and Miami Gardens. State Rep. Dotie Joseph, born in Haiti, is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor. The report was published by The Haitian Times.