Both are reliable Republican standard bearers who hold similar viewpoints on abortion, immigration, the Second Amendment and school choice. Jason Mariner, 35, a business owner in Jupiter and Greg Musselwhite, a 55-year-old construction worker from Fort Pierce. There are two Republican candidates in the Nov. We believe Sharief is the candidate with the ability to do just that. His successor must do the same to meet the district’s needs without the luxury that seniority gives. Hastings was unique he grew into the job as both an advocate and lawmaker. Imran Siddiqui, along with Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, Phil Jackson and Emanuel Morel, who have sought the seat before. Rounding out the field are political newcomers, Elvin Dowling and Dr. Bobby DuBose, D-Fort Lauderdale and Omari Hardy, D-West Palm Beach, Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness and former Palm Beach County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor. The district is fortunate to have several good candidates in the race, including state Sen. As someone whose father was a victim of gun violence, issues such as gun safety, criminal justice and voting rights are also important to her. She supports greater funding for PELL grants for higher education, STEM programs and for students who choose education as a profession. She believes the federal government should negotiate drug prices for Medicare and would work to create a Medicaid program that the federal government could use to bypass recalcitrant state agencies to ensure residents receive benefits. In Washington, Sharief would be a moderate member and a reliable Democratic vote. In that position, she has taken the time to learn and work on a variety of issues, from outside activities as the first Black female president of the Florida Association of Counties, past chair of the National Association of Counties’ Health Steering Committee to serving on the County Coalition for Responsible Management of Lake Okeechobee, a board on which Hastings once served. Those 11 years as county commissioner have made Sharief the best-prepared candidate in the race. She’s represented the community on both the Miramar City Commission and the Broward County Commission, a body she headed twice as county mayor. Her approach offers the best chance of bringing badly needed change while maintaining an important economic engine.Ī longtime resident of Miramar, Sharief is a nurse and CEO of South Florida Pediatric Homecare. “Big Sugar” and other agricultural interests remain a significant employer and industry in the 20th congressional district. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a comprehensive study on the effects of cane burning in the Glades while working with the sugar industry to develop alternatives to the practice. Sharief has threaded the needle on one issue that is important to The Palm Beach Post - sugar cane burning.