The district was created in 1993 in response to the 1990 United States census, mostly out of the former 15th District. E. Clay Shaw, Jr., who had represented the 15th and its predecessors since 1981, represented this district until 2007, when he lost re-election to Democrat Ron Klein. However, Klein himself was ousted by Republican Allen West during the 2010 midterms. After redistricting made the 22nd friendlier to Democrats, West left the district for an unsuccessful bid for re-election in the 18th district.
The new 22nd district has one of the highest populations of Jewish Americans in the country. In 2020, the election between two Jewish candidates, Democratic incumbent Rep. Lois Frankel and right-wing activist Laura Loomer, for what was then the 21st district, drew national attention. Loomer used Holocaust imagery and Yiddish to attack Frankel as an opponent of Jewish interests.[5]
Incumbent E. Clay Shaw Jr. received a primary challenger – Pompano Beach business execute John Stahl. During the primary, Stahl described himself as a "productive-class taxpayer" and labeled Shaw a "career politician". Shaw responded by saying, "I understand business, running a business and my voting record is proof of that." Stahl also accused Shaw of abusing his congressional franking privilege; a report from the National Taxpayers Union indicated that Shaw spent $240,000 for mailings in 1993. Additionally, Stahl vowed to cut his salary to $100,000 if elected. By July 15, 1994, Shaw's campaign contributions totaled $283,390, while Stahl raised only $900.[6] Nevertheless, Shaw defeated Stahl in the primary elected by a vote of 24,252 to 6,925 (77.8%-22.2%).[7]
In the general election, Shaw faced-off against Palm Beach Town Council President Hermine Wiener, a Democrat who left the Republican Party about a year earlier. Wiener did not receive a challenger for the Democratic nomination. Throughout the year, she raised $216,596 and vowed to spend as much as $1 million, if necessary.[6] Shaw signed the Contract with America and specifically promised to reform welfare during the next congress.[8] On October 25, the League of Women Voters hosted a debate between the two candidates at the Broward County Main Library in Fort Lauderdale.[9] Shaw was endorsed by The News, a Boca Raton-based newspaper,[10] and the Sun-Sentinel.[11] The former cited Wiener's lack of specifics on key issues such as health care and immigration as their rationale for favoring Shaw. However, The News also stated that Shaw "hasn't paid enough attention to his new constituents."[10] The Sun-Sentinel praised Shaw for his positions on various issues, and remarked that "[he is an] intelligent, hard-working congressman who has shown effectiveness and leadership ability while maintaining a high level of integrity during his entire political career."[11]
Overall, Wiener received little support from prominent local elected officials, as Shaw was favored to win re-election.[12] Shaw did, in fact, handily defeat Wiener in the general election by a margin of 63.36%-36.64%.[13]
Florida's 22nd Congressional District Election (1994)
On January 19, 1998, incumbent E. Clay Shaw Jr. announced that he would seek re-election for a ninth term.[14] Shaw faced no opposition in either the primary on September 1 or the general election on November 3.[15][16]
Florida's 22nd Congressional District Election (1998)
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