Democrat Oliver Gilbert and Republican Te Brown are competing for Florida’s 24th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, and both have laid out their positions on affordability, housing, health care and immigration. CBS News Miami reporter Chelsea Jones interviewed both candidates and spoke with voters ahead of the November election.
Gilbert backs expanding mass transit and increasing the housing supply, which he said would bring costs down. He also said Miami-Dade County’s Northeast Corridor rapid transit project is a priority. Voter Dawn Obidiebube, who supported Shevrin Jones in the Democratic primary, said she now backs Gilbert and wants the project finished to ease traffic on I-95.
Brown said lowering credit requirements could help more people qualify for home loans. She also pointed to bringing investment into the district, lowering gas prices and cutting taxes, goals she said would require working with Congress and state and local officials.
On immigration, Gilbert called for comprehensive reform, an extension of Temporary Protected Status and a path to citizenship. Brown said the border must be secure but agreed a path to citizenship should exist under certain conditions, such as employment and housing.
Voters are split. One resident pointed to Gilbert’s long record in the area, while Tyler Wright said he supports Brown because he sees her as the strongest voice for accountability and transparency. Gilbert said he would oppose the president on tariffs, and Brown said she would donate her first year of congressional salary to the district.
