TAMPA, Fla. — Republican Senator Marco Rubio isn't facing any competition from fellow Republicans as he runs for re-election. But he has already targeted who he believes his opponent will be in November, Democratic Representative Val Demings.
Representative Demings' background is in law enforcement. She has a bachelor's degree in criminology from Florida State and a Master's Degree in public administration. Demings was appointed chief of police in Orlando in 2007.
Demings served as the chief of Orlando Police from 2007 to June 1, 2011 when she retired after 27 years with the Orlando Police Department.
By 2012, Demings had made her way to the political arena. After two losses, Demings ran for the 10th Congressional District seat in 2016 and won. She ran unopposed for a second term in 2018 and won again in 2020.
Demings now has her eyes set on Senator Rubio. But, she does have to get through the primary election first.
The full field running against Demings for the Senate nomination includes businessman William Sanchez, lawyer Brian Rush, and Ricardo De La Fuente.
Rubio has been airing attack ads against Demings for several weeks leading up to the August 23rd Democratic primary. Recent polling and fundraising may be why Rubio targeted Demings.
According to FEC campaign reports, Demings and Rubio have run almost equal in there fundraising, though Demings performed much better over the last few months than Rubio.
And the latest poll from the University of North Florida gave Demings a four-point lead over Rubio, 48-44 percent.
Rubio is running for his third term as a U.S. Senator. He's spent the last 18 years in Washington, DC as a Senator from Florida.
