Former 2 Live Crew rapper Uncle Luke has joined a growing primary field to challenge embattled Democratic congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, who is seeking a fourth term in office.
The Catholic-raised hip-hop artist and podcaster, born Luther Campbell, announced his run for the state’s 20th district seat on Monday after several days of hints, posting an official launch statement to social media.
“This campaign is about results, not rhetoric. I’m not going to Washington to grandstand,” Campbell said, touting his resume of civic action in Florida.
“I’m going to bring resources back home to CD20.”
Official Statement from Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell
— Luther Luke Campbell (@unclelukereal1) February 16, 2026
Candidate for U.S. Congress – Florida’s 20th District
“After decades of fighting for my community—from the courtroom defending free speech all the way to the United States Supreme Court, to building businesses that created…
While Campbell, 65, is best known for his former rap group’s raunchy lyrics, Supreme Court case, and best-selling albums in the 1980s and 1990s, his work as a free speech activist, community leader, and social media influencer has kept him on the radar. He was recently honored with a street renaming in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood, where he was born and raised.
A resident of Miramar, Florida, as of 2024—in the 25th district—Campbell nevertheless teased a run for Congress that year against Cherfilus-McCormick. He subsequently failed to file paperwork to appear on the primary election ballot. (Until Election Day, Florida does not require congressional candidates to live in the district they are running for.)
Cherfilus-McCormick ran unopposed in that election and the general, but has come under fire for questionable campaign finance practices. After being sued in state court, she was indicted on federal fraud charges in November 2025 over the alleged use of millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds to finance her successful 2021 campaign. She won that race to succeed the late Rep. Alcee Hastings, who died in office.
Cherfilus-McCormick, the first Haitian-American Democrat elected to Congress, has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges but faces continued scrutiny, including a bipartisan House Ethics Committee investigation dating back to 2023. An investigation found “substantial” evidence that she failed to follow campaign finance laws.
Her legal troubles have become a central plank in this year’s primary race, which features a number of recognizable names in South Florida politics. Campbell himself ran for mayor of Miami-Dade County in 2011, while a fellow Black Catholic in Dr. Rudy Moise was a candidate in two congressional primary races in 2010 and 2012. Former Broward County mayor Dale Holness and 26-year-old progressive upstart Elijah Manley are also running.
“I’ve done the work,” Campbell said. “I have the relationships. And I know how to get things done.”
Campbell, who most recently served as a football coach at Miami Edison High School, resigned that role in late January as rumors intensified that he would run in the August primary. He also runs a youth sports nonprofit, Liberty City Optimist Club; advocates for fairness in student-athlete law and negotiations; and hosts the Uncle Luke Show podcast.
On Wednesday, Campbell reported that he would soon begin collecting ballot petitions, of which he will need to amass one third of the 20th district’s “ideal population.” The deadline for submissions is Monday, May 11.
Candidates’ other qualifying documents will be due in early June, while Florida voters will be able to register for primary voting until Monday, July 20. Early voting will begin on Saturday, Aug. 8, before Election Day on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
