Florida Rep. Val Demings ‘Seriously Considering’ a Statewide Run, Challenging DeSantis or Rubio

Democrat Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) is “seriously considering” a statewide bid in the Sunshine State, possibly challenging Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) or Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as the state holds on to its red-state status, she suggested this week.

Demings, who served as a House impeachment manager against former President Trump, said she has “received so many calls and texts and emails” and other inquiries about her intentions for the political future.

“Matter of fact, they think I should run for statewide office and maybe challenge the governor, or challenge Sen. Rubio next year,” she told Politico on Thursday, telling the outlet, “I’m seriously considering a statewide run.”

“And we’ll see what happens,” she said.

The outlet cited those “familiar with her thinking,” who said the Florida congresswoman has been “increasingly disturbed” by DeSantis’s “hard-right style of governance, including an anti-protest bill he recently signed into law.”

DeSantis is up for reelection in 2022, originally taking office on January 8, 2019. He narrowly edged out Democrat challenger Andrew Gillum, who last year came out as bisexual following a Miami hotel incident that had authorities responding to reports of a suspected drug overdose. They found Gillum in the hotel room nude and inebriated.

Sen. Rubio also faces reelection next year, which comes at a time Republicans in the Senate seek to take back the majority from the Democrats, many of whom seek to end the filibuster in order to pass their radical agenda items. Such items include packing the Supreme Court with four additional justices appointed by President Biden.

Earlier this year, Demings accused Republicans in Congress of wanting a “modern-day civil war” and asserted the U.S. is still dealing with white supremacy.

During a February appearance on MSNBC’s All In, Demings said Americans “still are dealing with white supremacists and domestic terrorism and that there are those who will continue to defend are those who are directly responsible,” referencing the January 6 Capitol protest.

“Unfortunately, many of my colleagues on this subcommittee and across the aisle, in general, have done everything within their power to continue to carry the big lie and the false narrative and not address the problems in this country that we have faced way too long,” she said, adding, “And that is again domestic terrorism, white supremacy, and extreme domestic individuals.”