Broward Activist Elijah Manley Officially Challenging Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick in 2026

Broward County activist and former Florida House candidate Elijah Manley will challenge embattled U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick for her District 20 seat next year.

In light of a U.S. House Ethics Committee report that found Cherfilus-McCormick may have violated U.S. House rules with her campaign finance activities, as well as newly surfaced records showing that she used the roughly $6 million in accidental overpayments from the state to her former healthcare company to run for Congress in 2022, Manley announced on Tuesday that he will run against Cherfilus-McCormick in the 2026 Democratic primary election.

“The people of this district deserve a member of Congress that is dedicated to their needs and understands their struggles,” Manley said in a press release announcing his candidacy. “From tackling the cost-of-living crisis to ending gun violence and ensuring healthcare for all, we need leadership focused on solutions — not scandals.”

Before announcing his congressional run, Manley told New Times in January that he believes Cherfilus-McCormick is too distracted by legal issues to adequately serve District 20, which includes swaths of western and central Broward County and a portion of Palm Beach County.

She was first elected to Congress in 2022 to represent the 20th District after longtime Rep. Alcee Hastings died in 2021.

"She can't really represent this district that way. This is a big congressional district, and we need a lot of help," Manley said. "We're going to need a lot of help going into this administration, especially when we talk about immigration."

Manley, who faced homelessness and poverty growing up in South Florida, has worked in the local hospitality indusrtry and as a substitute teacher in Broward County. At just 16, he ran for U.S. president. At 19, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Broward County School Board. And in 2020, at age 21, he ran, and lost, a campaign for the Florida House of Representatives District 94 seat, which represents Wilton Manors and Plantation.

He said that his story of overcoming adversity as a child is shared by the late Hastings, who represented the 20th District for eight years before his death.

"I didn't grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth. I grew up in poverty," Manley told New Times. He believes many people in the district can relate to his story.

Manley emphasized that, while Cherfilus-McCormick's legal troubles are "easy to go after," he is not running a campaign against the congresswoman.

"I just want people to know that I'm thinking about them, I'm thinking about the economy, I'm thinking about immigration," Manley added. "I'm running a campaign that's focused on people in District 20, not necessarily fighting any legal battles, and definitely not focused on the congresswoman."

As previously reported by New Times, Cherfilus-McCormick is facing public scrutiny following a series of reports about her campaign activities.

In 2021, the state accidentally overpaid Trinity Health Care Services, whose then-CEO was Cherfilus-McCormick, nearly $6 million while contracting with the company to register people for COVID-19 vaccines. Records show the South Florida congresswoman used more than $5 million to run for Congress.

If elected, Manley would be the youngest person in Congress.