Oliver Gilbert III says Experience and Results Set his Candidacy Apart in Florida’s 24th District

The former Miami Gardens mayor says his record in local government has prepared him to address transportation, housing, health care, education and small business development in Congress.

Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III says his candidacy for Florida’s 24th Congressional District is rooted in his record of transforming communities and solving problems.

During an interview on That Part Podcast, presented by Hy-Lo News and Just Vote Period, Gilbert positioned himself as an experienced public servant prepared to address some of South Florida’s most persistent challenges, including rising housing costs, limited transportation options and gaps in health care.

“I’m not the person that you necessarily send when you want the warm and cuddly,” Gilbert said. “I’m the person you send when you want to solve the problem. That’s me. That’s been my history.”

Gilbert, a Democrat, is among the candidates seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, who announced she would not seek reelection. The Democratic primary is scheduled for Aug. 18.

Born and raised in Miami Gardens, Gilbert graduated from Miami Norland Senior High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Florida A&M University and a law degree from St. Thomas University. He later served as mayor of Miami Gardens before being elected to the Miami-Dade County Commission, where he represents District 1.

Gilbert said his story cannot be separated from the community that raised him.

“When you tell the story of my life, you can’t tell it without God,” Gilbert said. “You can’t tell it without work. You can’t tell it without this community. You can’t tell it without faith.”

When asked why he is running, Gilbert pointed to growing political division and the belief among many working families that the American dream is becoming more difficult to reach.

“The main thing is not the main thing anymore,” Gilbert said. “Our personal perspectives and prejudices are.”

He said the government should remain focused on basic needs that cross political, religious and cultural lines, including health care, education, housing, food security and the ability to age with dignity.

“If you’re working two jobs, you got two incomes and you can afford the rent for $3,000, you should be able to afford a mortgage,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert identified rapid mass transit as one of his top priorities, particularly the long debated North Corridor project. He said transportation and housing cannot be treated as separate issues because expanding transit can create opportunities for more housing and economic development along major corridors.

“We can’t address the cost of housing long term in Miami-Dade County until we address rapid mass transit,” Gilbert said. “We need a faithful federal partner. And so I want to be that.”

Rather than committing exclusively to an extension of heavy rail, Gilbert said officials should consider less expensive elevated transportation systems and emerging technologies capable of transporting similar numbers of passengers.

“If we know the technology we’re using is too expensive, why are we still trying to use it?” Gilbert said. “We have to use technology to lower the price and get it done.”

When asked what major federal investment he would bring to South Florida, Gilbert’s answer was direct.

“The North Corridor, without a question,” he said.

Gilbert said investing in transportation can also support housing, employment and economic growth throughout the region.

“Rapid mass transit and transportation generally is the one thing that you have to invest in, as far as public infrastructure goes, that will help you,” Gilbert said. “It has more tentacles of success.”

Health care is another central part of Gilbert’s platform. He said the issue is personal, recalling his father’s death from congestive heart failure and the difficult medical decisions families can face when care becomes unaffordable.

“I start from the premise that health care is a right,” Gilbert said. “It is a human right. I’ll never back away from it. I’ll never back down. I’m not going to flinch.”

Gilbert said no one should delay seeing a doctor because of concerns about the financial burden. He supports expanding access to Medicare and restoring federal subsidies that help working families afford insurance.

“I’m willing for my money to go for you to have health care,” he said. “I believe it’s a right. I’m willing to fight for it.”

On education, Gilbert called for greater federal investment in public schools and higher salaries for teachers. He said students should graduate prepared for college or equipped with the certifications needed to enter skilled trades.

Gilbert also criticized efforts to restrict how Black history is taught while schools continue to struggle with literacy.

“The surest way for you to redo something is to not know you did it before,” he said.

He argued that teachers should be valued in the same way the government values other public servants.

“Just like they’re first responders, teachers are first responders for tomorrow,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert also outlined what he called “SBA 2.0,” a proposal to expand federal lending, technical assistance and access to capital for small businesses in historically underserved communities.

He proposed creating small business zones that would focus federal resources on areas where poverty has remained persistent.

“We have to begin the transition in our communities of stop talking about jobs and start talking about owning some stuff,” Gilbert said.

He said his congressional office would organize workshops and business fairs to connect entrepreneurs with federal contracts and programs they may not know are available.

“The cure to that poverty is entrepreneurship,” Gilbert said. “It is small business. It’s taking people who have talent and giving them the technical and business acumen and access to resources.”

Throughout the interview with hosts Papa Keith and Janey Tate, Gilbert repeatedly pointed to his record as evidence of how he would serve in Congress. He highlighted economic development, investments in parks and youth programs, employee benefits and infrastructure initiatives advanced during his time in local government.

“I haven’t touched something that I didn’t transform because I work at it, because I’m serious about it,” Gilbert said.

As voters prepare for the crowded Democratic primary, Gilbert said his campaign will remain focused on policy, experience and his commitment to the community that shaped him.

“The best indicator of what someone will do is what they have done,” Gilbert said. “I’ve been result-oriented in doing stuff.”

“I’ll never give up on you. I’ll never give up on this community,” he added. “I’ll go to Washington. I’ll fight for you. I’ll get it done.”