Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson Will Not Run in 2024

Representative Frederica Wilson, a longtime Democratic congresswoman from Florida, announced she will not seek reelection this fall, ending a 15-year career in the House of Representatives. The 83-year-old lawmaker confirmed her decision in an interview with the Miami Herald and at a public ceremony where a street was named in her honor.

Wilson said she felt it was time to step aside but emphasized she is not retiring. She explained she had held on to her seat as long as she did due to her deep concern for the future of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence program, a mentorship initiative for boys and young men of color she founded over three decades ago. She plans to travel the country to promote the program and is also working on a memoir.

The congresswoman acknowledged she made her decision a while ago but delayed the announcement for strategic reasons following Florida’s recent congressional redistricting. She said she was concerned that an early announcement could have made her district a target during the map-drawing process. Under the newly enacted maps, Florida’s 24th Congressional District, which Wilson has represented since 2011, remains a solidly Democratic seat with an...