Race Analysis: U.S. Senate Democratic Primary

Congresswoman Val Demings faces only nominal competition from Democratic candidates on the August 23 ballot seeking the party’s nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.

I don’t ever like to be dismissive of grassroots candidates, but the simple fact remains that Demings has this race locked up. With an enormous lead in polls, Demings has amassed a sizable campaign war chest that tops even Rubio's at this point, a two-term incumbent with powerful connections to the GOP. This, combined with the large field of relatively unknown and underfunded candidates vying for the nomination, spell sure victory for Demings.

Demings was chief of the Orlando Police Department from 2007 to 2011, the OPD's first female chief. She completed a career in law enforcement that lasted nearly three decades before turning her attention to elected office. After an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 2012, Demings was elected in a landslide to represent the 10th Congressional District in 2016 and reelected in 2018 and 2020. Her husband, Jerry Demings, has been Mayor of Orange County since winning the office in 2018.

Despite depictions made of her by Republicans, Demings is a moderate Democrat and member of the New Democrat Coalition, a caucus for centrist Dems. Demings’ respect among law enforcement professionals is seen as a crucial strength in her candidacy. Florida Democrats see Demings as the most viable candidate in their party and many sought to recruit her to run for governor against Ron DeSantis in this cycle.

Demings' assignments in the House include the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Demmings is solidly pro-choice and has a 100 percent rating from the ACLU and a 97 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters.

Her position on gun control is moderate and has been focused on mental health, including supporting the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act of 2017, which would have provided a lawful method of temporarily confiscating firearms from people deemed to be a threat to themselves or others. After the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018, Demings opposed arming teachers, calling the idea "ridiculous."

In December of 2019, Demings voted for both articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and was then selected as one of seven impeachment managers who presented the impeachment case against Trump during his trial before the Senate. She then voted in favor of impeaching Trump again on January 13, 2021, following the attempted insurrection on January 6.

As a solid moderate, progressive Democratic voters are not likely to be terribly excited about Demings. Should they wish to make a protest vote in the primary, they can choose between William Sanchez, Allen Ellison, Brian Rush, Josh Weil, Albert Fox, or Coleman Watson.