It's official: Luther "Uncle Luke" Campbell will be running for Congress. After stepping down as head football coach at Florida's Miami Edison Senior High School and contemplating his return to politics, he announced the news in a statement on Facebook Monday.
“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 jobs across the South, to mentoring and coaching thousands of young people into college—I have officially decided to run for Congress in Florida’s 20th District," the statement reads.
"For more than 35 years, I have worked on the ground in Liberty City and throughout South Florida—co-founding Liberty City Optimist, partnering with city and county leaders, building relationships with corporate sponsors, and helping hundreds of thousands of young people access education and opportunity through sports and mentorship. I’ve done the work. I have the relationships. And I know how to get things done," it continues.
Luke adds that his goal "is to make [Congressional District 20] the standard of what a congressional district in America should look like—revitalized, respected, and resourced."
He concludes, "It’s time to turn influence into impact."
Florida's Congressional 20th District, which includes West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, is currently represented by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.
Luke previously ran for mayor of Miami-Dade County in 2011.