Photo of U.S. Rep. Val Demings by Mandel Ngan/AFP) (Photo of U.S. Sen Marco Rubio by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)
LAKE MARY, Fla. - Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings officially filed qualifying paperwork Tuesday to run for the United States Senate. Demings is the heavy favorite to become the Democratic nominee and is trying to unseat two-term Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.
Demings has represented parts of Central Florida in Congress since 2017. Prior to that, she was the Chief of Police for the Orlando Police Department. She spoke to reporters, saying that Rubio is wrong on two current hot-button issues, including abortion access and gun control.
"It’s not a popularity contest. It’s not about my next position. It is about doing the right thing and having the courage to make tough decisions," she said. "I will never play political games with you or the lives of the people that you and Florida cares about. My opponent is all too willing to do that."
Elizabeth Gregory, a spokesperson for Sen. Rubio also responded to the comments, saying "as election day approaches, Floridians will get to know Val Demings as a far-left radical who has failed to deliver results for them when it really counts."