Jamaicans in Florida seek primary election wins in US

When voters in Florida go to the polls tomorrow to vote in the Democratic Party primary elections, a number of candidates with Jamaican roots are hoping they will come out victorious and go on to the general election on November 3.

Among those hoping voters will give them a win are Jamaica-born Dale Holness and Kaysia Earley, who has Jamaican roots.

Holness is running in Congressional District 20, while Earley is running in Congressional District 22.

This will be Holness’ third attempt to win Congressional District 20. He lost a special election in 2020 by just five votes and came up much shorter in the elections held in 2022.

Should Holness be successful in his bid this time around, he would become the first Jamaica-born individual to sit in the United States Congress.

Yvette Clarke currently represents Congressional District 9 in Brooklyn, but she was born in the United States (US) to Jamaican parents.

Previously, Holness was seen as the front-runner to win Congressional District 20. However, with a newly redrawn congressional map, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who previously represented Congressional District 25, saw her seat wiped out under the new congressional map and has moved to District 20.

Apart from Schultz and Holness, others running for the seat include current sitting member of the US House of Representatives Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, who is under federal indictment, Luther Campbell and Elijah Manley.

Over on the Republican Party side of the primary, Jamaican Carla Spaulding is hoping to win the Republican Party primary and go on to the November 3 general election to run against the Democratic Party nominee.

Spaulding is running against three other candidates in the Republican Party primary.

Whichever Democratic candidate wins the August 18 primary is literally guaranteed to win the November 3 general election in the heavily Democratic congressional district.

Congressional veteran

Wasserman Schultz’s entry into the Democratic Party primary in Congressional District 20 has drawn the ire of the other candidates, who have accused her of seeking to take advantage of the predominantly Black Congressional District 20.

Wasserman Schultz is a 21-year congressional veteran and leading Florida Democrat.

Holness told The Gleaner that he is currently raising funds to finance his campaign. According to him, so far he has raised more than US$200,000 and is hoping to meet the goal of raising US$1 million to fully fund his campaign.

“I have been getting very good support among constituents and I am confident that this time around I will be successful,” he told The Gleaner.

Holness said his campaign is being built around affordability as citizens continue to face high prices, high mortgage rates and receding prospects of owning a home.

“Thirteen per cent of the people currently live in poverty in Florida,” he said, quoting a recent study on poverty levels in the state.

Well-paying jobs

According to Holness, young people coming out of school are having difficulties finding well-paying jobs that will allow them to meet everyday living expenses.

“Most people in Florida are living paycheck to paycheck and cannot meet the requirements to lift themselves and their families out of poverty,” he said.

Holness hopes to attract to the constituency the kind of industries that will bring high-paying jobs.

Over in Congressional District 22, Earley, whose father and grandparents are Jamaicans, is running to win the Democratic Party primary.

A first-time congressional candidate and trial lawyer, Earley previously ran for a judgeship in Florida but was unsuccessful.

Earley said her campaign is centred on three guiding principles: Faith. Family. Future.

“The residents of District 22 deserve a representative who will put people before politics, solutions before partisanship, and service above self-interest. My work as founder of Seeds of Manna has further strengthened my commitment to addressing the needs of families and individuals facing hardship in Florida and Jamaica.

“As a trial attorney, former public defender, law firm founder, community advocate, non-profit leader, wife of more than 22 years, and mother of four, I bring a combination of legal experience, community advocacy, and real-world understanding of the challenges facing families throughout our district,” she said.

Early voting in Florida began on August 8 and ended on August 15.

Also running in the primary elections are Jamaicans Tamar Hamilton and Veronica Walker, who are both running for judgeships.

editorial@gleanerjm.com