The Palm Beach Post today endorsed Dr. Barbara Sharief in the race to represent Florida’s twentieth congressional district, calling her “the best-prepared candidate in the race.” The Post recommended Democrats choose Dr. Sharief as their nominee on November 2nd and declined to endorse in the Republican primary.
A doctor of nursing practice, Dr. Sharief currently serves as Broward County Commissioner and previously served as the mayor of Broward County as well as vice mayor and city commissioner of Miramar. Dr. Sharief received her DNP from Wilkes University as well as a BSN and MSN from Florida International University and an ASN from Miami Dade College.
Via the Palm Beach Post:
The Palm Beach Post believes Barbara Sharief is the best choice in the Nov. 2 Democratic primary, and we recommend Democrats choose her as their nominee. She possesses the life experience and professional and political backgrounds that best meet the district’s needs. Her work as a Broward County commissioner has resulted in good working relationships with local, state and federal elected officials — connections that should help in Washington. Her work ethic as a candidate is also impressive and speaks well as to how she would represent district constituents.
Sharief has threaded the needle on one issue that is important to The Palm Beach Post — sugar cane burning. She has vowed to push the U.S. 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. “Big Sugar” and other agricultural interests remain a significant employer and industry in the 20th congressional district. Her approach offers the best chance of bringing badly needed change while maintaining an important economic engine.
A longtime resident of Miramar, Sharief is a nurse and CEO of South Florida Pediatric Homecare. She’s represented the community on both the Miramar City Commission and the Broward County Commission, a body she headed twice as county mayor.
Those 11 years as county commissioner have made Sharief the best-prepared candidate in the race. 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.
In Washington, Sharief would be a moderate member and a reliable Democratic vote. 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. She supports greater funding for PELL grants for higher education, STEM programs and for students who choose education as a profession. 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.
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Hastings was unique; he grew into the job as both an advocate and lawmaker. His successor must do the same to meet the district’s needs without the luxury that seniority gives. We believe Sharief is the candidate with the ability to do just that.
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