Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Bio
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (born January 25, 1979) is an American businesswoman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida’s 20th congressional district since 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, she won a 2022 special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Alcee Hastings. She is the first Haitian-American Democrat elected to Congress and the second Haitian-American to serve in the chamber overall.
Before her time in elected office, Cherfilus-McCormick led Trinity Health Care Services, a Florida-based family home health care company, and worked in operations and project management. Her tenure in Congress has been shaped by advocacy for progressive policies as well as by ongoing legal and ethics challenges.
Early Life and Background
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was born in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, to parents from Haiti, and she was raised in the borough of Queens. She moved to Florida at the age of 13 to attend high school, settling in the South Florida region that would later form the heart of her congressional district.
She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and government from Howard University, followed by a Juris Doctor from the St. Thomas University School of Law. Her academic background in law and political science laid the foundation for her later work in health care administration and public policy.
Path to US Politics
After graduating from college, Cherfilus-McCormick served as a project manager for the New York City Transit Authority. She later moved into the health care sector, joining Trinity Health Care Services, a Florida-based family home health care company co-founded by her stepfather, Gabriel Smith. From 1999 to 2007, she served as vice president for operations at the company and eventually rose to the role of chief executive officer.
Her growing profile in the South Florida business community set the stage for her entry into electoral politics. She first ran for Florida’s 20th congressional district in the 2018 Democratic primary against longtime incumbent Alcee Hastings, losing by a wide margin. She challenged Hastings again in 2020 and lost a second time, but the experience prepared her for a third run after his death in 2021.
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Cherfilus-McCormick’s first two congressional campaigns ended in clear defeats. In the 2018 Democratic primary, she lost to incumbent Alcee Hastings by a margin of 73.6% to 26.4%. She returned to challenge him in the 2020 primary, citing ethics concerns and his declining health, but lost again by a similar 69.3% to 30.7% margin.
Despite the losses, her persistence allowed her to build name recognition, donor networks, and policy positions that would prove critical in a future open-seat race. Her focus on progressive causes helped her align with national organizations that would later support her campaign.
2022 Special Election Breakthrough
After Hastings died on April 6, 2021, Cherfilus-McCormick entered the 2022 special election to fill his seat. During the campaign, she loaned $3.7 million to her own campaign organization, a striking personal investment that drew national attention. She campaigned on progressive policies including a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and a $1,000-a-month universal basic income, earning the backing of Brand New Congress, a progressive organization also associated with figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib.
After a recount, Cherfilus-McCormick was declared the winner of the Democratic primary by just five votes over Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness. She went on to defeat Republican Jason Mariner easily in the January 11, 2022, general election, becoming the first Haitian-American Democrat elected to Congress and only the second Haitian-American to serve in the chamber overall, after Republican Mia Love of Utah.
Full-Term Era (2023–Present)
Following her narrow special-election victory, Cherfilus-McCormick faced a rematch with Holness in the regular 2022 primary. This time she prevailed comfortably, taking 66% of the vote to Holness’s 27%, with another 6% going to candidate Anika Omphroy. In the November general election, she defeated Republican nominee Drew Montez-Clark with 72% of the vote and began her first full term in Congress on January 3, 2023.
In the 118th Congress, she joined the Congressional Black Caucus and serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. A FiveThirtyEight analysis found that she voted with President Joe Biden’s stated position 100% of the time during the 117th Congress, and she voted to provide Israel with support following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Notable Events and Milestones
Cherfilus-McCormick’s career has been defined as much by controversy as by legislative work. In December 2023, the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into allegations that she violated campaign finance laws, failed to submit required disclosures, and engaged in improper hiring practices. The investigative subcommittee later concluded that her actions were consistent with a broader pattern of misconduct, including violations of campaign finance laws and House rules. She has denied the allegations.
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Career Wins
Cherfilus-McCormick has secured two major electoral victories since entering Congress. Her first win came in the 2022 special election Democratic primary by just five votes, followed by a comfortable general-election victory. She then won a full term in 2022 by defeating her primary challenger 66% to 27% and the Republican nominee 72% to 28%.
Congressional Highlights
Her 2022 special-election victory made history as the moment a Haitian-American Democrat was first elected to Congress. Her subsequent 2022 primary and general-election wins cemented her hold on Florida’s 20th congressional district, which covers most of the Black-majority areas in and around Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
Other Wins and Achievements
Beyond electoral success, Cherfilus-McCormick built a substantial business record as chief executive officer of Trinity Health Care Services. Her advocacy for universal basic income, Medicare for All, and a Green New Deal has positioned her as a visible voice for progressive policy in South Florida.
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Family
Family Background and Lineage
Cherfilus-McCormick was born to parents from Haiti and raised in the Queens borough of New York City before moving to Florida as a teenager. Her stepfather, Gabriel Smith, co-founded Trinity Health Care Services, the family health care business where she rose to vice president for operations and later chief executive officer.
Personal Life
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick married lawyer Corlie McCormick in 2017. The couple lives in Miramar, Florida, and they have two children together. She is Protestant.