Deborah Wasserman Schultz ( Wasserman; ; born September 27, 1966) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for , first elected to Congress in 2004. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2011 until her resignation in 2016.

Wasserman Schultz served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate and was a national co-chair of Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign for president. Her district covers much of southern Broward County, including a large part of Fort Lauderdale.

Wasserman Schultz was elected chair of the Democratic National Committee in May 2011, replacing Tim Kaine. On July 28, 2016, she resigned from that position after WikiLeaks released leaked emails showing that she and other members of the DNC staff had expressed bias in preference of Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primaries. The emails showed that some DNC officials had discussed strategies to weaken Sanders' campaign, questioning his viability, and suggesting ways to discredit his supporters. She secured a senior surrogate spot on the Clinton campaign afterwards.

Early life and education Born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, to a Jewish family, Wasserman Schultz is the daughter of Ann and Larry Wasserman. Her father is a certified public accountant, and her brother, Steven Wasserman, is an assistant United States attorney for the District of Columbia.

From 1968 to 1978, the family lived in Lido Beach on Long Island. In 1978, her family moved to Melville, also on Long Island, where she graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School East in 1984. She received a Bachelor of Arts in 1988 and a Master of Arts with a certificate in political campaigning in 1990, both in political science, from the University of Florida.

At the University of Florida, Wasserman Schultz was active in student government, serving as president of the Student Senate and the founder and president of the Rawlings Area Council Government. She was also a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, the James C. Grimm chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary, and the union Graduate Assistants United. She served as president of the Graduate Student Council and vice president of the UF College Democrats. She has credited her experience in student politics with developing her "love for politics and the political process."Schultz, Debbie Wasserman. "Speech to Harvard Model Congress: Youth Participation In Politics". March 4, 2006.

Florida state legislature (1992–2004) Florida State House of Representatives In 1988, Wasserman Schultz became an aide to Peter Deutsch at the beginning of his state legislative career. In 1992, Deutsch successfully ran for United States Representative of Florida's 20th congressional district, and suggested to Wasserman Schultz that she run for his vacated seat in the Florida House of Representatives. Wasserman Schultz won 53% of the vote in a six-way Democratic primary, avoiding a runoff, and won the general election. At 26, she became the youngest female legislator in the state's history.Debbie Wasserman Schultz profile at Carroll's Federal Directory. Carroll Publishing, 2009; reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2009; Document Number: K2415004095, via Fairfax County Public Library; retrieved April 25, 2009.

She served four terms in the Florida State House of Representatives, for eight years, leaving due to state term limits. She became an adjunct instructor of political science at Broward Community College, as well as a public policy curriculum specialist at Nova Southeastern University.

Florida State Senate Wasserman Schultz was elected to the Florida State Senate in 2000. She supported several bills, including the Florida Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act and one creating a Children's Services Council for Broward County. She received an award from the Save the Manatee Club for her commitment as a state senator in the 2002 legislative session to manatee protection.Save the Manatee Club honors Senator Debbie Wasserman Schultz , Save the Manatee Club, March 18, 2003. Retrieved April 20, 2016.

Wasserman Schultz was also voted to be an at-large Florida delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

U.S. House of Representatives (2005–present) 2004 congressional election In 2004, Wasserman Schultz's mentor Peter Deutsch resigned his congressional seat to make an unsuccessful run for the Senate seat of fellow Democrat Bob Graham. Wasserman Schultz was unopposed in the Democratic primary election held to fill Deutsch's seat. Her Republican opponent was Margaret Hostetter, a realtor who had never held public office. The 20th is so heavily Democratic that Hostetter faced nearly impossible odds in November, but she gained notoriety for her attacks on Wasserman Schultz. For example, Hostetter's campaign site criticized Wasserman Schultz for protesting an American flag photograph with a Christian cross on it that was on display in the workstation of a secretary in a government building. Hostetter wrote, "Elect Margaret Hostetter to Congress November 2 and send the clear message that Americans respect and support... the foundational role Christianity has had in the formation of our great nation. Our rights come from God, not the state."

Wasserman Schultz won with 70.2% of the vote to Hostetter's 29.8%.

2006 congressional election

Wasserman Schultz was unopposed for reelection in 2006.

2008 congressional election

In 2008 Wasserman Schultz defeated Independent Margaret Hostetter and Socialist write-in candidate Marc Luzietti.

She supported Hillary Clinton for her party's 2008 presidential nomination, and in June 2007 was named one of Clinton's national campaign co-chairs. Once Senator Barack Obama became the presumptive Democratic nominee, she endorsed him and joined Senator Ken Salazar and Representative Artur Davis to second his nomination at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

On CBS's Face the Nation, she called Sarah Palin unready for the vice presidency. "She knows nothing...Quite honestly, the interview I saw and that Americans saw on Thursday and Friday was similar to when I didn't read a book in high school and had to read the CliffsNotes and phone in my report", Wasserman Schultz said of Palin's interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson the previous week. "She's Cliff-noted her performance so far."Politico. September 14, 2008. Wasserman Schultz was also named a co-chair of the Democratic Party's Red to Blue congressional campaign group. Controversy arose in March 2008 when she felt unable to campaign against South Florida Republican representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Díaz-Balart, and the now-retired Lincoln Díaz-Balart because of her good friendship with them. Wasserman Schultz and Ros-Lehtinen are both on the LGBT Equality Caucus of which Wasserman Schultz was a vice chair. Ros-Lehtinen has been the sole Republican on the 112-member caucus since 2013.

2010 congressional election

Wasserman Schultz defeated Republican nominee Karen Harrington, Independents Stanley Blumenthal and Bob Kunst, and Florida Whig Party candidate Clayton Schock with 60.1% of the vote.

2012 congressional election

After the 2010 census, Wasserman Schultz's district was renumbered the 23rd and pushed further into Miami-Dade County, taking in most of Miami Beach and a portion of Miami itself. Harrington ran again. Wasserman Schultz won with 63.2% of the vote to Harrington's 35.6%. When she was sworn in, she became the first white Democrat to represent a significant portion of Miami since 1993.

2014 congressional election

In the general election, Wasserman Schultz defeated Republican Joe Kaufman, 62.7% to 37.3%.

2016 congressional election

After a court-ordered redistricting in 2015, Wasserman Schultz lost much of her share of Miami-Dade County, including her portions of Miami and Miami Beach.

Economist and law professor Tim Canova challenged Wasserman Schultz in the August 30, 2016, Democratic primary. He was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders. Wasserman Schultz won the primary with 57% of the vote.

On August 8, 2016, in the wake of the WikiLeaks Democratic National Committee email disclosures, Canova filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) violations of regulations complaint against Wasserman Schultz, alleging "interference" with his campaign, contending that on her behalf "the DNC paid a team of national, senior communications and political professionals significant sums of money for their consulting services and the Wasserman Schultz for Congress Campaign utilized these services free of charge." A spokesman for Wasserman Schultz said that the complaint was without merit and that it was "based on stolen, cherry-picked information".

In the general election, Wasserman Schultz defeated Republican nominee Joe Kaufman with 56.7% of the vote.

2018 congressional election

Wasserman Schultz ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and was challenged by Kaufman and Independent candidates Tim Canova and Don Endriss. She won the general election with 58.48% of the vote.

2020 congressional election

Wasserman Schultz was challenged by Florida attorney Jen Perelman in the August 2020 Democratic primary.

On August 16, 2020, Martina Velasquez, a 16-year-old volunteer for Perelman's campaign, filed a police report alleging that Wasserman Schultz had shoved her more than once when both were talking to voters. Velasquez declined to press charges but asked for a public apology. In the August 18 primary Perelman won 28% of the vote to Wasserman Schultz's 72%.

2022 congressional election

Wasserman Schultz handily defeated Robert Millwee in the August Democratic primary and won the general election, defeating Republican Carla Spalding with over 55% of the vote.

2024 congressional election

Wasserman Schultz handily defeated Jen Perelman in the August Democratic primary and won the general election, defeating Republican Chris Eddy with nearly 55% of the vote.

2026 congressional election

Rather than seeking reelection in the 25th district, Wasserman Schultz announced on May 22 that she would instead run in Florida's 20th congressional district, which had become vacant following the resignation of Democratic congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick in April 2026. Wasserman Schultz won the Democratic nomination with 45.3% in a competitive primary. Tenure Committee assignments For the 119th Congress: Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (Ranking Member)

Caucus memberships Black Maternal Health Caucus Congressional Solar Caucus New Democrat Coalition Congressional Arts Caucus Afterschool Caucus United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus Rare Disease Caucus Congressional Ukraine Caucus Congressional Taiwan Caucus

Party leadership Chief Deputy Whip

Wasserman Schultz was appointed to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee in her first term. During the 2006 election cycle, she raised over $17 million in campaign contributions for her Democratic colleagues (third-most after Nancy Pelosi and Rahm Emanuel), was chosen as Chief Deputy Whip, and was appointed to the Appropriations Committee, a plum assignment for a sophomore representative.