Val Demings to run for Senate against Rubio

Source: Politico | May 18, 2021 | Marc Caputo

The Orlando Democrat was on Joe Biden’s shortlist as a possible running mate in 2020.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida Rep. Val Demings is planning to run for the U.S. Senate, rather than governor, providing Democrats with a big-name candidate to take on Republican Sen. Marco Rubio next year.

For months, Demings mulled which statewide office to pursue, but decided she could do the most good by taking on the two-term senator, according to several Democrats familiar with her thinking.

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The adviser left some wiggle room for Demings to change course, saying there was a “98.6 percent chance” that she would ultimately challenge Rubio. By running for Senate, Demings leaves the gubernatorial field to Rep. Charlie Crist and state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who is expected to announce a bid soon.

Demings expects to make her decision final as early as next month.

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Even Demings’ supporters acknowledge Rubio will not be easy to beat. He has won two statewide general election races already and the bilingual incumbent has a measure of crossover appeal with the state’s sizable Hispanic population, which broke more strongly for Republicans in the last general election than many Democrats had anticipated. Hispanic voters still favor Democrats overall in most polls and in Florida general elections, but the 2020 election results unnerved national Democrats.

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