Former Representative Cherfilus-McCormick Loses Primary Bid Amid Federal Charges and Ethics Violations
Former U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick received only 9.2% of the vote in Florida’s 20th Congressional District Democratic primary on August 18, 2026, finishing fourth and ending her attempt to return to Congress. This follows her resignation from Congress in April 2026, just before a House Ethics Committee hearing that could have led to her expulsion. A bipartisan adjudicatory subcommittee had previously found her guilty of 25 ethics violations, including breaches of campaign finance laws. Federal charges against Cherfilus-McCormick allege she and her brother stole $5 million in federal disaster relief funds intended for COVID-19 testing and community outreach. The indictment claims that the state of Florida overpaid her family-run company, Trinity Health Care Services, by $5,057,850 due to a clerical error, and that she and others allegedly laundered the money into accounts they controlled, including her campaign committee. She faces multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to commit ... 
