CD 25 – Dan Franzese, a business-backed Republican, formally entered the fight for Florida’s revised 25th House District now held by Debbie Wasserman Schultz, aiming for an “America First” platform.
A new Republican entrant is set to shake up the race for Florida’s revised House District 25, with Dan Franzese formally launching his campaign for the seat held by Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Franzese announced Sunday that he is running for the U.S.. House seat in South Florida. positioning himself as a “political outsider” in a contest that will feature multiple candidates for the Republican nomination.. The primary ballot for the district is scheduled for Aug.. 18, ahead of the general election on Nov.. 3.
In his campaign announcement, Franzese said his approach would follow President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda if elected.. He argued that Florida families have been let down by “career politicians. ” and he framed his run as a continuation of the president’s efforts. including what he described as draining the swamp. securing borders. and advancing an America-first set of priorities.
Franzese also made a direct promise about how he would govern if he wins.. He said he would use business experience to help make life more affordable. and he vowed to hold career politicians accountable in Congress.. In his view. voters deserve a representative who shows up. tells the truth. and delivers rather than someone he characterized as focused on climbing political ladders and brokering deals away from public view.
The candidacy is also a reminder of how competitive the district has been for Republicans over the past cycle.. Franzese previously sought the U.S.. House seat in a different South Florida district—running unsuccessfully against U.S.. Rep.. Lois Frankel for the 22nd Congressional District, which largely includes Palm Beach County, in 2024 and earlier in 2022.
He originally announced that he was planning to run for the CD 22 seat earlier this year. but switched to the newly reconfigured CD 25 contest.. That change comes as the district’s political geography has been redrawn. altering the balance of who and what communities are at the center of the campaign.
The shift to CD 25 is tied to new district lines approved in a redistricting plan.. The revised geographic configuration stems from a special session earlier this month in which the Florida Legislature approved the redistricting framework.. According to the reporting on the district’s boundaries. the new congressional district stretches along the Southeast Florida coast. running from Delray Beach down to Miami.
Historically, the seat had been centered on the southern parts of Broward County into Miami-Dade.. Franzese’s move to the revised district. and the broader field of candidates now aiming for the GOP nomination. highlights how redistricting can realign voter coalitions and force campaigns to adjust messaging and outreach.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s role in the race underscores the stakes.. She has already signaled that she may refocus her campaign on the CD 22 seat. a path that would mark a lengthy and highly entrenched career in the House as she looks toward what she would frame as her next election cycle.. In this context, her presence in CD 25 remains central, particularly as new lines change where voters are coming from.
The race is also drawing attention from other Democrats who are weighing whether to step in. U.S. House Representative District 23 Democrat Jared Moskowitz has hinted that he may join the contest for the CD 25 seat.
Franzese is not entering an open field on the Republican side. He joins five other Republicans seeking the GOP nomination, including Scott Singer, George Moraitis, Joe Kaufman, Raven Harrison, and Jared Gurfein.
A poll Franzese released Sunday, conducted by the McLaughlin & Associates research firm, suggests that the GOP contest is unsettled.. The poll showed no clear leader among roughly 300 Republicans surveyed. with Singer leading at 16% in that snapshot—an indication that the nomination fight could depend heavily on turnout and persuasion as the Aug.. 18 primary approaches.
The district’s redesign and the crowded Republican slate add another layer to how campaigns will compete for attention.. With the revised area running along the coast from Delray Beach to Miami. candidates will likely face the practical challenge of building a coherent message across changing neighborhoods. priorities. and local political networks rather than relying on continuity from the prior district map.
At the same time. Franzese’s pitch to voters—framing himself as a “fighter” who would hold politicians accountable while echoing Trump’s agenda—suggests he intends to compete on high-stakes national themes rather than only local promises.. Whether that strategy gains traction could hinge on whether Republican primary voters view the “outsider” framing as a compelling alternative to more established figures in the field.
For Wasserman Schultz, the redistricting shift and the prospect of a complex Democratic landscape create its own set of uncertainties.. If she invests resources in CD 25 amid a changing map. or if she pivots more directly toward CD 22 as hinted. the timing and focus of her campaign could influence how quickly both parties consolidate support and how other candidates decide whether to fully commit.
Dan Franzese CD 25 Debbie Wasserman Schultz South Florida U.S. House election Republican primary Aug. 18 redistricting