Wayne Messam presidential campaign, 2020
Date: November 3, 2020 |
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| “ | I see it to be a unique opportunity for Americans to look at another option of leadership. ... When you look at a mayor, Americans see mayors favorably. We are at the front line of what Americans are dealing with every day.[1] | ” |
| —Wayne Messam (March 2019)[2] | ||
Wayne Messam announced he was forming an exploratory committee to run for president of the United States on March 13, 2019. He suspended his presidential campaign on November 20, 2019.[3]
The focus of Messam's campaign was canceling $1.5 trillion in student debt.[4] "I think that [the] American dream is slipping away for most Americans," Messam said of his decision to run. "Americans are not getting their needs met."
Messam was first elected mayor of Miramar, Florida, in 2015. He also served on the City of Miramar Commission from 2011 to 2015.[5]
Messam in the news
- See also: Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing and Editorial approach to story selection for the Daily Presidential News Briefing
This section featured five recent news stories about Messam and his presidential campaign. For a complete timeline of Messam's campaign activity, click here.
- November 20, 2019: Messam ended his presidential campaign. He wrote in a statement, “I will continue to be engaged during this 2020 cycle to ensure that we defeat Donald Trump. My state of Florida will be ground zero and I intend to be a factor to mobilize our state.”
- November 19, 2019: Messam is speaking at the Diversity in the Affordable Housing Industry Forum in Atlanta.
- November 7, 2019: Messam gave a speech at the Miramar Comcast Center.
- October 24, 2019: Messam delivered the State of the City address evening for Miramar, Florida.
- October 19-20, 2019: Messam hosted the Creole Culture Fest in Miramar.
Biography
Messam grew up in South Bay, Florida, in 1974. He attended Florida State University on full academic and athletic scholarships and was a member of the 1993 National Championship Football Team. Messam graduated with a bachelor's degree in management information systems in 1997.[5][6]
Messam is a licensed general contractor. In 2003, he and his wife Angela founded Messam Construction, which specializes in commercial construction and has provided services for federal and local governments and private companies.[7]
Messam served on the City of Miramar Commission from 2011 to 2015. He was elected with 38 percent of the vote in a three-way race. In the 2015 mayoral election, he defeated incumbent Mayor Lori Moseley, again winning 38 percent of the vote in a three-way race. He was re-elected in 2019 with 86 percent support against one challenger.[6] Miramar had a population of around 150,000 in 2019.[5]
Messam previously served as president of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials. He also chaired the Broward County Small Business Development Advisory Board.[5]
Campaign finance
The following chart shows Democratic presidential campaign fundraising, including both total receipts and contributions from individuals, as well as campaign spending. Figures for each candidate run through the end of June 2020 or through the final reporting period during which the candidate was actively campaigning for president. The total disbursements column includes operating expenditures, transfers to other committees, refunds, loan repayments, and other disbursements.[8]
Satellite spending
Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[9][10][11]
This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.
Campaign advertisements
This section shows a sampling of advertisements released to support or oppose this candidate in the 2020 presidential election.
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Campaign themes
The following campaign themes and issues were published on Messam's presidential campaign website:[12]
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Jobs I’m running for President because the time to live up to our potential is now—not tomorrow. The future is happening every day and we are ill-prepared. This administration inherited the Obama economy with historic growth from the depths of a recession. Instead of preparing us for the future, they have given millions in tax breaks to big corporations. When I’m President, repealing the Trump tax breaks for the wealthy will be at the top of my agenda. I’ve built a small business, and as Mayor, overseen one of the fastest growing economies in the nation. I championed a living wage for city workers, attracted high-paying jobs for Floridians, fought to bring manufacturing jobs back from China, and created jobs myself. Democrats don’t need to be lectured on the economy when Democratic presidents oversee stronger job growth than Republican presidents. It’s time we had a President who invests in training the entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow. Under my administration, we would bring uncertainty for American workers and businesses to an end, by pushing to make it illegal to shut down the government to score political points. The future holds an economy where every American is able to take his or her talent directly to market. We have seen the rise of ride sharing and home sharing, cryptocurrency and digital collectibles, yet we still train our workforce for jobs that will be replaced by artificial intelligence. When I’m President, we will establish an economic plan to soften the blow of the coming tech advancements on working and middle class Americans, and will encourage young people to start their own businesses as a pathway to success and alternative to college. I believe in an America in which anyone who wants a job will be able to get one. It will be a federal priority to put Americans to work in high-paying jobs, with flexible benefits so they can spend more time with their loved ones. Success in the future means encouraging “smart work.” Let’s bring back the creative American spirit. Gun Reform Last Valentine’s Day, I joined my twin daughters for a senior appreciation ceremony at their high school. I had just presented my two girls with bouquets of red roses when my phone started buzzing. You can imagine the panic among all of the parents as we learned of the active shooter situation unfolding just minutes down the road in Parkland. Similarly, a few years ago as I was Christmas shopping, I was caught in a mass shooting scare. I saw crowds of people run through the mall in panic. I waited in the back of the mall with a few store employees as law enforcement secured the area with guns drawn. This isn’t rhetoric this hits close to home for Americans every single day. This is a national emergency. As a result of Washington’s refusal to address gun violence, young people across the country have grown up traumatized by the gun violence epidemic. They know the exact lockdown procedure thanks to practice. Experts agree that these drills, when not conducted appropriately, can cause “physical and psychological harm to students, staff and the overall learning environment.” As Mayor, I proposed and unanimously passed a measure in support of safer gun laws that would expand background checks and prevent terrorists from gaining access to guns. Last year, I sued the state to allow local leaders to protect our residents from gun violence because in Florida, it’s illegal for mayors to even bring up gun reform for discussion. The trauma of this epidemic doesn’t go away when the shooting is over. One student in California survived one mass shooting only to be killed in another one. In Florida, survivor’s remorse claimed the lives of two Parkland shooting survivors, and snatched the life of a father whose daughter was brutally murdered in Sandy Hook. When you have 96 people die from gun violence every day in America and there is no gun reform bill on the President’s desk, Washington is broken. When you can’t take your family to a movie or drop your child off at school without wondering whether or not it will be the last time that you see them, Washington is broken. I’m running for President of the United States to change that. When I’m President, it will be the number one priority for my administration to prevent mass shootings. I believe law enforcement should remove mass shooting weaponry from the hands of those suffering from mental illness, those who have a history of domestic abuse, and anyone on the terrorist watch list. It’s time to stop playing games with American lives. We cannot wait to have safe communities and schools. It will be my goal as your President to cut gun deaths in half by the end of my first term, with the goal to eliminate this threat entirely by the end of my presidency. It’s time we demand action from our government to keep us safe from gun violence and replace politicians if they won’t get to work to make it happen. One more child lost to gun violence is one too many. Change cannot wait to protect our people. Education As the product of public schools and dad of three kids in college, I know the importance of access to quality education. Our schools are a critical piece of our infrastructure that help shape young minds, build a skilled, productive workforce and create lasting economic opportunity. When we invest in our schools, we make sure every child can achieve their full potential in this rapidly changing economy. Teachers deserve a raise. Children deserve access to learning experiences that will unleash their potential. Parents deserve a chance to send their kids to great schools without having to pay millions of dollars under the table, like celebrities and the wealthiest Americans. My small business specializes in education-related projects as we’ve built many schools, including the greenest school in the Southeast United States. Galaxy Elementary was previously slated for closure due to low test scores and today, it’s a LEED Platinum certified school high-performing STEM school in a previously underserved area. We must make smart investments in education, including teacher salaries that align with the importance of their work; the resources, supplies and training our educators need; and expanded opportunities for students pursuing career and technical training. Education is the great equalizer, and I will fight every day to make that a reality for every child regardless of zip code. Anything less undermines our economy and kids’ shot at success. Healthcare After helping Florida State University win a national football championship and exploring a NFL career, one of my first jobs out of college gave me a front-row-seat to healthcare in this country. In my role, I spent most every day helping to educate physicians on treatment options for their patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other life-threatening ailments. I saw the aggressive marketing tactics deployed by companies out to boost their bottom line and increase their market share. I witnessed the challenges and life-or-death consequences patients faced when they could not afford essential medications due to far-too-high prescription drug costs. It was not a fit for me, and I quit to start my construction business, but the firsthand look at the industry shined a glaring light on the real-life effects of our broken healthcare system. This experience rings true for seniors and families across this country. Healthcare is the largest single sector of the U.S. economy, and profits in the private health and pharmaceutical industries are soaring. The American people spend more on healthcare than any other country, yet we receive less for it. That is a travesty and runs counter to the fact that healthcare is a basic human right. Six million Americans rely on insulin to survive, yet many cannot afford it as prices have tripled in recent years. These soaring prices have led to many diabetic patients using expired supplies or self-rationing. It’s reprehensible that in the world’s wealthiest country, some are dying because they cannot afford the simple injections they need to live. Access to quality healthcare is one of the top barriers to economic opportunity, mobility and stability. If people are unable to live healthy lives, their productivity and ability to thrive at school, work or home suffers. In order to compete globally and lay the groundwork for a truly prosperous society, we must re-evaluate our priorities and make healthcare a fundamental right — not a privilege — in this country. We must reform the system from the top down and drive down costs for patients, including giving the government more authority to negotiate prescription prices for seniors. As President, I will be open to ideas to fix a broken system that right now does more to protect the bottom line of insurance and pharmaceutical companies than protecting patients. Women’s Health I trust women to make their own decisions when it comes to their health. Period. Climate Change Today, the leaders of the political party in power do not believe in science. By the end of this American century, as many as one million Floridians could lose their homes due to climate change and cost the country $120 billion dollars per year in property damages. The largest wildfires we have ever seen engulf the state of California in flames. Yet, all we hear out of Washington are attacks on proponents of the Green New Deal and silence from those with the political power to save lives. I’m running for President of the United States to take direct climate action to change that. This is not just a coastal issue. Sections of the Midwest would see their ability to produce corn drop by 75 percent and 25 percent of soybean crop production could be at risk. Even this administration’s own reports say we if we don’t act now, we could have irreversible damage to the air we breathe and the water we drink. I’ve built a construction business overseeing nearly a half a billion dollars in projects and I helped build the greenest school in Florida, so I know how to create jobs taking action to prevent climate change. When I’m President, my administration will make it a priority to lead the world and take bold, direct, climate action that will rival the New Deal in scope, rise to the scale of this challenge and apply the urgency required to get the job done in ten years. We can build the economy and tackle the climate crisis. People who face discrimination due to the color of their skin, are often obstructed by institutional barriers across our society, and this is particularly poignant within the criminal justice system. In Miramar, we’ve passed Ban The Box to ensure people can get a second chance, prioritized police diversity and actively foster community engagement. We must do the same at the federal level. What’s more, the drug war has proven to be a failure. In the process, it has ruined thousands of lives, especially in communities of color. We all want safe streets, but we must ensure that every street has the same opportunity to grow up without threat of being thrown into the school-to-prison pipeline. I believe states that have decided to move forward with marijuana legalization should be allowed to do so and other states should feel free to join the ranks without threats from the federal government. As long as those states that choose to do so continue to enforce DUI laws, spread economic benefits throughout all communities, and expunge records for those arrested for selling marijuana, they would have my full support as President. Immigration As a first-generation American, small business owner and Mayor of one of Florida’s most diverse communities, this issue is deeply personal. My parents immigrated to this country from Jamaica with no more than a fifth-grade education. My mom was a cook and did domestic work while my dad spent over a decade cutting sugar cane — backbreaking labor in the Florida heat. Because of their sacrifice and the opportunities of this great country, I received the opportunity to inherit their American Dream and take on tough fights as mayor, including creating designated safe zones for immigrants and directing city law enforcement to not support ICE’s abusive efforts to deport our residents, unless they are in possession of a judicial warrant. Despite the actions that local leaders across the country are taking to make communities safer for all residents, divisive rhetoric continues to dominate the Washington conversation. These are unsettling times as the current administration seeks to further divide our communities and pit hardworking neighbor against hardworking neighbor. Immigrants strengthen our communities and the economy at large. Our nation runs on the contributions immigrants make every day. The last thing we need in this country is our most vulnerable communities living in a constant state of fear. I have seen this firsthand in Miramar, which has an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) check-in office within the city limits. It has been frustrating as community members and local families are subjected to degrading conditions, including lack of restroom facilities, shelter from the elements, parking and adequate sitting and waiting areas. That’s why our city passed a resolution demanding ICE improve these conditions. What this comes down to is human dignity. I’m proud to partner with the Florida Immigrant Coalition and United We Dream in their work to provide relief for members of our community, including creating legal aid clinics and municipal identification cards. We need to reform our immigration system from top to bottom and make sure our country is not only safer, but also more inclusive of, immigrants. The first thing we need to do is provide a pathway to citizenship for American Dreamers. This is a long overdue action for people who, through no fault of their own, find their path to the American Dream blocked. Then, we should offer comprehensive immigration reform that re-establishes a fair and orderly process to achieve the American dream. Fear of our neighbors and friends is not a true American value. Our diversity is our strength as a nation. Voting Rights Across this country, voting rights are under attack as politicians create barriers that make it harder for people to register to vote and cast their ballots, cut back early voting, and engage in unconstitutional acts of voter suppression. Here in Florida, we made history in 2018 when voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 4, a ballot measure to restore voting rights for more than one million returning citizens who have paid their debt to society but remained disenfranchised. Now the state legislature is trying to undermine the will of Florida voters and institute a poll tax, sending a chilling signal that threatens American values at home and abroad. We must protect Americans’ right to vote regardless of economic and societal status — not limit participation in the democratic process and discriminate against our own people. It’s up to us to keep fighting against these attempts to limit the right to vote, a central right in our democracy. Foreign Policy I’m running for President because American standing in the world is in complete decay. Our leadership role in the world has become diminished as a result of President Trump’s short-sighted thinking. The next American president must change course, be an honest broker on the world stage and restore true American leadership that’s rooted in both our values and our national security interests. Our country is facing multiple challenges overseas that impact us here at home. From a resurgent Russia to the long term rivalry that China poses to instability and lack of peace in the Middle East to the spread of nuclear weapons to the erosion of democracies to the threat posed by climate change, we need to change course, rebuild our fractured alliances and lead by example. That’s what I’ll do. A restoration of American global leadership will require a restoration of American respect for all people and all faiths. We cannot disrespect the humanity of people and expect to be welcomed with open arms due to our military might alone. Our true power has always been our tolerance and ability to find alignment with the broader brotherhood and sisterhood of our fellow human beings — not undermining our allies at every turn. As President, I will never lose sight of that fact. Democracy Reform The filibuster was intended as a measure of last resort, and yet, it’s been abused and ought to be removed. It was supposed to be an effort that would shut down the entire Senate, so no politician would enter into it lightly. Now just about every bill faces a hurdle of 60 votes. Sen. McConnell makes a mockery of the rules, and then whines when Democrats talk about changing them. The current use of the filibuster isn’t what the Founders intended, as it is being misused to stop all legislative efforts. What Sen. McConnell has wrought is bad for Democracy. I also support abolishing the Electoral College in favor of the national popular vote. It’s very rare that I will say this, but Donald Trump was correct when he called the electoral college a “disaster for democracy.” For years, we have told Americans that their vote counts, that every vote counts. If we believe that, we shouldn’t have a system where a candidate can lose by three million votes and somehow be declared the winner. The Electoral College forces candidates to cater to certain people in certain states. If you’re a Republican in New York or California, or if you’re a Democrat in Texas or Mississippi, no one competes for your vote. That doesn’t make for a good democracy, and we should do away with it and reform our elections. As President, I will support efforts to overturn Citizen’s United and get dark money out of our political system. Student Debt The U.S. Department of Education owns about 95 percent of America’s student loan debt, making the mechanics of complete debt cancellation for the majority of the loans relatively straightforward. Under this plan, federal student loans would be cancelled in full. Borrowers would receive confirmation that the debt was forgiven within 60 days. The government would work with the Federal Reserve and private lenders to identify all privately- held student loans within three years. Lenders would submit proof of student loan debt directly to the Department of Education. Once approved, Treasury would pay off the loan in full. The lender and Treasury would both provide the debtholder with proof that the debt was cancelled. The Department of Education would also promote the program and the Office of Federal Student Aid would work with individuals holding private debt to ensure that their debt is forgiven. The goal is to zero out all student loan debt – no matter what the source.[1] |
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| —Wayne Messam for President 2020[12] | ||
Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing
The following section provides a timeline of Messam's campaign activity beginning in March 2019. The entries, which come from Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing, are sorted by month in reverse chronological order.
2019
See also
- Democratic presidential nomination, 2020
- Presidential candidates, 2020
- Presidential election endorsements, 2020
- PredictIt markets in the 2020 presidential election
- Presidential candidate campaign travel, 2020
- Democratic presidential primary debates, 2020
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ CNN, "Little-known Florida mayor to announce 2020 exploratory committee," March 13, 2019
- ↑ Twitter, "Wayne Messam," November 20, 2019
- ↑ Essence, "Florida Mayor Wayne Messam, Who Is Weighing A Presidential Campaign, Proposes Canceling Student Debts," March 18, 2019
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Miramar, "About the Mayor," accessed July 16, 2019
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 South Florida Sun Sentinel, "Who is Wayne Messam? Everything you need to know about the 2020 presidential candidate from Florida," March 29, 2019
- ↑ Messam Construction, "About Messam Construction," accessed July 16, 2019
- ↑ FEC, "U.S. President," accessed July 16, 2019
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Wayne for USA, "Priorities," accessed July 18, 2019
