Rep. Val Demings (D-Florida) said in an interview Thursday that she is “seriously considering” running against Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) or Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in the upcoming 2022 election cycle.
“I’ve received so many calls and texts and emails, and have been stopped when I’m out and about by people who are asking me that very same question. Matter of fact, they think I should run for statewide office and maybe challenge the governor, or challenge Sen. Rubio next year,” Demings told Politico Thursday.
Demings has quickly made a name for herself as an outspoken activist, holding her own against Republicans like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), silencing him after interrupting her during a House committee speech.
“Val Demings has proven she can stand on the national stage, whether it’s as a House impeachment manager or a possible running mate for Biden or taking on Jim Jordan,” said Fernandi Amandi, Democrat consultant and Florida pollster in a Thursday statement.
Recognizing the difficulties of a state-wide race in the classically split state, Demings said she and her team will weigh their options before jumping into the race against DeSantis or Rubio. “It’s next year, right, and so I’d need to make that decision soon for sure by mid-year. And we’re almost there now,” Demings said. “Let’s see what the landscape looks like, but there are a lot of people in my home state who want me to run statewide.”
