Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Pembroke Pines, Fla. – U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat, has won another term in political office by default.

No one qualified to challenge for her Congressional District 20 seat by the April 26 deadline.

Rap artist-turned political activist Luther Campbell filed initial paperwork to run against Cherfilus-McCormick for the Democratic nomination, but he didn’t qualify and with no Republican challengers, the incumbent kept her seat.

Congressional District 20, which constitutes portions of Broward and Palm Beach counties, is a heavily Democratic population.

On social media, Campbell said he decided not to run because he didn’t want to take time away from his 14year-old son, and football coaching duties at Edison High School.

Campbell added that the $141,000 a year congressional salary wasn’t enough to set aside his business interests.

"It would be difficult to live on the $141,000 congressional salary and said having to put his business interests into some sort of trust was too great of a burden. That becomes difficult. That becomes a large task," he said.

Campbell was a guest on CBS Miami’s Facing South Florida with Jim Defede two weeks ago and mulled running for Congress.

The Pembroke Pines resident set up a political action committee with the Federal Election Commission to start raising money for his campaign, as he was preparing a run for Congress.

Campbell, 63, told Defede that some parts of Broward County, and Riviera Beach and Pahokee in Palm Beach County are struggling with several issues such as affordable housing shortages, homelessness, a new plant for clean water and not enough jobs.

"Some parts of Broward County look like a third-world country," Campbell said. "When you go around talking to different people, pastors and community leaders, I understand the issues. I asked them if there is a problem with your Congresswoman and they said we hardly see her. She’s not available to hear the issues."

Campbell, who grew up in Liberty City, said more federal dollars need to be pumped into Congressional District 20 like other affluent areas in South Florida.

After filing the initial paperwork with the Federal Election Commission for his PAC, Campbell said he would make a final decision on social media on deadline day during the qualifying period.

But Campbell didn’t file the remaining paperwork that is required to qualify, meaning he backed out to challenge Cherfilus-McCormick.

Campbell had a message for her on social media a day after the qualifying period ended.

"Listen to the people and issues in District 20," he said.

Campbell said he hasn’t ruled out a run for Congress in the future.

Campbell became a First Amendment advocate when he was arrested by the Broward County Sheriff office in 1990 for allegedly performing obscene lyrics and gestures on stage at several concerts.

Despite Two Live Crew’s album As Nasty As They Wanna Be reached certified platinum, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida ruled the album was legally obscene.

The ruling was overturned by the Eleventh Circuit Court.

Campbell, a mainstay of Hip-Hop, was among the music pioneers honored during Hip Hop Turns 50 celebration in 2023.

Campbell ran for political office in 2011 when he ran for Miami-Dade County mayor in a special election.

Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez won the election, but Campbell finished in fourth place among 11 candidates.

Cherfilus-McCormick, the first Haitian-American in Congress, first won her U.S. House seat during a Special Election in January 2022.

The Miramar Democrat succeeded the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, whom she had previously challenged for the seat.

During the Special Election, she narrowly came out on top of a crowded Democratic field, beating former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness by just five votes.

But later the same year, McCormick beat Holness more decisively in an August Primary before winning her first full term in Congress over Republican Drew-Montez Clark.

Recently, Cherfilus-McCormick has been urging the Biden administration and the United Nations to beef up security and policing amid the surge of gang violence in Haiti.

She also panned the Biden administration for resuming deportations of Haitians last week when 50 people were sent back to the Caribbean nation by plane.

“I am deeply outraged about recent reporting that the Department of Homeland Security has resumed deportations to Haiti," she said in a statement. "A country facing a political crisis of epic proportions, where basic human rights can no longer be protected, women and girls are being sexually abused on a daily basis, young boys are recruited into becoming child soldiers, over 5 million are heading towards famine, and 80 percent of the capital is controlled by gangs."

Responding to her critics, CherfilusMcCormick said addressing the affordable housing shortage in her district is her main concern.

"I’ve successfully secured $3.9 million for rent and mortgage assistance for Broward residents experiencing a financial crisis, making strides toward accessible and affordable homes for everyone," she said on social media. Visit my website to see how these funds are making an impact and explore resources available to help our community."

Meanwhile, Campbell’s brother, Stanley Campbell, qualified to run for the U.S. Senate seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Republican Senator Rick Scott in November.

But first, he must get past his fellow Democrat candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell who is the Florida Democratic Party front-runner.

Campbell is a former Navy pilot and owns a golf club and resort in Central Florida.

Campbell recently accused the Democratic Party of Florida of favoritism and insensitivity for the 2024 elections.

“Whether the Party wants to admit it or not, this race is wide open and ignoring the preference of a large swath of committed voters does a disservice to those voters at a time when the Democratic Party can ill afford to alienate them,” he said in a statement.

The Primary election is August 20, 2024, and the general election is set for November 5, 2024.