August primaries to determine fate of J’can congressional candidates in US
Published:Thursday | August 4, 2022 | 12:07 AMLester Hinds/Gleaner Writer
A NUMBER of Jamaican candidates seeking to win primaries for a spot on the November mid-term ballot will know their fate later this month.
Among the candidates is Jamaica-born Rev Karen Green, who is running in Florida’s 7th congressional district. Jamaica-born Dale Holness is running in Florida’s 20th congressional district. State representative, Anika Omphroy, who is of Jamaican descent, is also running in Florida’s 20th congressional district, while Jamaica-born Don Samuels is seeking to win in the 5th congressional district in Minneapolis.
Green has the best chance of advancing to the November general election, as she is seen as the frontrunner to win the Democratic Primary on August 23. A recent Seminole County Chamber of Commerce poll puts her at 38 per cent among voters, more than 12 percentage points ahead of her nearest rival for the democratic nomination.
Green has also been endorsed by several entities and elected officials, including the AFL-CIO, the Democratic Disability Caucus of Florida, the Seminole Democratic Party, as well as youth Democratic groups in counties making up the congressional district.
Green, who is also vice chair of the Florida Democratic Party, has picked up support from a number of local elected officials, including state senator Victor Torres and state representatives Ana V. Eskamani and Carlos Guilliemo Smith, as well as county property appraiser Amy Mercado.
Miami-based attorney, Jamaican Marlon Hill, said that Green is a long-standing leader in the community and Congress would be well served by having her there. He said that he fully supports her candidacy.
“She is a doer. She has been uplifting the community for years and it is time she be elected,” said Hill.
Well-known attorney, Jamaican Wayne Golding Sr, has also come out in support of her candidacy.
“It is always good to see people stepping up to the plate. The question of whether the person is qualified for the position will be asked, but her activities over the years assure that the question will be answered positively,” he said.
Golding said that Green is a worthy standard-bearer.
Meanwhile, Jamaica-born Georgia state representative, Donna McLeod, described Green as “awesome”.
“She has been a grassroots person and has the ability to help enact policies that will move the community and the country forward, if elected,” said McLeod.
Over in Florida’s 20th congressional district, Holness and Omphroy will go head to head as they seek to win the Democratic primary. To win they both need to defeat the incumbent House representative, Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick, who is of Haitian descent.
Congressional District 20 in Florida is considered a solid Democratic seat and whoever wins the primary contest is seen as a sure winner in the November general election.
That primary election is scheduled for August 23.
The incumbent defeated Holness by a mere five votes in a special election in January to fill the seat. However, speculation this time around is that both Omphroy and Holness will have a more difficult task of beating Cherfilus-McCormick, as she has the weight of the Democratic party behind her candidacy.
In the Minneapolis primaries set for August 9, Samuels will race against two-term Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
In a statement announcing his candidacy earlier this year, Samuels said: “The stakes have never been higher. Our city, our nation, and our world are threatened by devastating economic disparities, the catastrophic effects of climate change, and a sustained attack on democracy here at home and abroad. While Rep Omar and I share similar views on many issues, I believe this moment calls for a different approach to leadership – one that seeks to build a united coalition able to achieve greater progress for everyone.”
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke in Brooklyn’s 9th congressional district will not have an opponent in the New York congressional primaries set for August 23. She will advance to the November general election, where she will face a Republican opponent.
Should Green win her primary as expected, she will face a Republican opponent in November. The winner of Florida’s 20th congressional district Democratic primary will also face off against a Republican candidate in November. In state and county races, Hazelle Rogers is expected to emerge victorious in her quest to win the primaries to contest for the post of commissioner for Broward County in November.