A congresswoman’s carefully worded resignation took on new light as guilt of ethics violations hadn’t deterred her from advancing a re-election bid days earlier.
The midterm elections may be more than half a year away, but Congress has certainly experienced some shakeups already with a series of House resignations. While Eric Swalwell garnered most of the attention over rape allegations, and many still demanded the ouster of Florida Rep. Cory Mills (R), now-former Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s (D) own departure from Capitol Hill may prove strategic as she chose to “step away.”
According to the Florida Department of State’s Candidate Tracking System, Cherfilus-McCormick had filed for re-election on April 17, just four days before she resigned from the House. The moves came weeks after she was deemed guilty of violating 25 House ethics rules linked to embezzling $5 million of COVID-19 emergency funds into her special election campaign to fill the seat of then-Rep. Alcee Hastings (D) who died in 2021.
The House Ethics Committee with a handy list of the 25 ethics violations in the case of Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick D-FL pic.twitter.com/kteioOpQxy
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) April 20, 2026
As had been reported, Cherfilus-McCormick had taken the position of victim in her resignation statement, asserting, “This was not a fair process. The Ethics Committee refused my new attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense. I simply cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be trampled on, and my good name to be tarnished.”
“Rather than play these political games,” she continued, “I choose to step away so that I can devote my time to fighting for my neighbors in Florida’s 20th district. I hereby resign from the 119th Congress, effective immediately.” [emphasis added]
On top of the ethics violations, the then-congresswoman was indicted by grand jury in November 2025 pertaining to the millions of dollars in stolen Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds.
In addition to Cherfilus-McCormick, the Florida Department of State records indicate four other Democrats filed to run in the primary along with four Republicans. As of the time of this posting, all are marked with an active status.
“The last thing our community needs is a second round of chaos and instability,” Democratic primary opponent Elijah Manley told NOTUS via text message having said, “Sheile Cherfilus-McCormick resigned in disgrace moments before her colleagues were set to expel her from Congress.”
“She should focus on her legal troubles,” he added.
Speaking to the import of name recognition in an election, a Democratic operative in Florida told the outlet of Cherfilus-McCormick’s chances at re-election, “While we would have to check with the lawyers to see if Cherfilus-McCormick can run using Cell Block C as her residence, it isn’t clear that there is anyone in that district who can beat her if she runs again.”
Meanwhile, reactions on social media didn’t doubt her chances at re-election, but also called out the potential gamesmanship of the active campaign where it concerned access and use of funds.
This gives her the ability to loan her campaign cash at an obscene interest rate and pay herself back in donation money.
— The Snarky Mushroom (@SnarkyMushroom) April 25, 2026
Can’t candidates use campaign funds for legal fees or something like that? Wasn’t that a motivations for Eric Adams never dropping out?
— Paul Figueroa (@lapaulitica) April 25, 2026
Gotta respect the grind, here
— Kyle (@NYPoliticsTakes) April 24, 2026
She really doesn’t give af that she’s a crook
…
— Forgis (@ForgisOnDaJeep_) April 24, 2026
The first thing to go once you make it to Congress is your shame.
It’s all a dirty, dirty game.— CHOCKYNILK (@Ofcoursehedoes) April 25, 2026
