Val Demings to run for Senate against Rubio

[Jose Garcia]

Source: Politico

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.

“I would’ve supported her running for governor, but this is the right fit for her and for us,” said Alex Sink, a former Florida chief financial officer who narrowly lost her 2010 bid for governor against Rick Scott, who is now a senator.

“She’s going to draw a contrast between who she is and how she represents Florida vs. Marco Rubio, who a lot of people where I live never see him.”

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.politico.com/amp/news/2021/05/18/demings-running-for-senate-rubio-489137

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I would have preferred that she run for Governor, because that race is more winnable and there aren't any candidates running that I think can win.

[nycbos]

1. Crist s running for governor.

I think he and Demmings did a deal.

[Warpy]

24. Sounds about right, especially for Florida

As much as I hate to say this, I wonder if running a WOC against a prick like Rubio is the wisest thing.

Val is great and she is a powerhouse politician and would represent Florida well. However, I know that state to be a typical southern state chockablock full of racists and misogynists, which is how Rubio got in.

I sincerely hope I am wrong about this and she defeats Rubio, I'm just not optimistic.

As for Crist, he should be a shoo-in after the last 3 rotters.

[nycbos]

25. DeSantis has a high approval rating though I think.

Florida likes scumbags.

[bigworld]

29. You're not wrong

and I agree with you. But part of me thinks, well the rascists and misogynists are gonna vote for the (R) anyway, so you may was well run with Demings.

She has the makings of a great Senator.

[FM123]

2. I love Val!

I hope she beats the pants off of that Rube! I don't know Central FL that well - I live in South FL - but I wonder who will fill her seat....

(According to Wikipedia) Due to redistricting after the 2010 census, this district was re-numbered, and slightly reconfigured from the former 8th District. Prior to 2017, it was considered a swing district, albeit slightly Republican-leaning. Due to mid-decade redistricting that occurred in 2016, the seat is considered solidly Democratic.

[Texin]

8. I love Val Demmings. But I hate to see her put her congressional seat in jeopardy

to some GQP head case like Marjorie Traitor Greene. And Florida has them in droves. I'm not optimistic for either Demmings or Christ. Floridians keep voting for people like Rubio, De Santis and other equally execrable so-called politicians. Why should anyone realistically expect them to change their spots? It's one thing to win a particular congressional seat, but statewide office is another matter. Demmings and Christ are marquee names, but is that enough?

[Celerity]

20. Post 2020 Census redistricting by the Rethugs may well change that

Christ's seat will be hard to retain no matter what. FL adds a new House seat as well.

It is not at all remotely out of the realm of possibility (as we typically get hammered in our first midterms) that we lose the Demings and Crist House seats, the Rethugs gerrymander the new one and win it as well, and we lose the Senate and Governor races.

Florida is corrupt AF, the Rethugs dominate it at state level, the latinx voters are very often far more RW than in any other state, and QMAGAts just keep pouring in.

My vision over a medium to long term event horizon is to turn AZ, GA, NC, and finally, the big one, TX, all perma Blue

FL (most shaky of these for the Rethugs, it can perhaps be saved, but atm I am pessimistic), IA, WI, OH, are likely going to end up like MO and IN in the perma Red column. Hopefully MN does not. MI and PA are brutal swing states, and I do not see that changing anytime soon.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. She is one tough cookie who will carry the Democratic banner proudly

Take it to him, and expose his stupidity!

[Marthe48]

4. Go Val!

She is awesome

[dlk]

5. I really like Demmings

She’ll be great taking on Rubio and would be a fantastic senator! My only concern is all of the voting roadblocks Republicans have put in place.

[Cozmo]

6. YES!

I love Val

[honest.abe]

7. Charlie Crist can win Gov.

He nearly won last time. I think the situation is better now for a Dem to win.

[redstatebluegirl]

9. Love her!

Plus seeing Rubio beaten by a woman of color is the icing on the cake.

[msfiddlestix]

10. Do Floridian Democrats feel like she has a better than "good" chance to win?

And if she loses, does she also lose her seat she holds in the House?

Seems like a lot to overcome, considering who they elect for Governor, and who their Senators are.

I don't know anything about their state legislators, but it feels like to me it must be a majority Republican who control the state considering their hideous, draconian laws regarding voting, pandemic, etc. It seems to me the State should be the main target.

I don't know. I'm not a political expert. It just feels that way to me.

[jaysunb]

12. +1. n/t

[FBaggins]

13. There's some thought that her House seat is vulnerable to redistricting

Stephanie Murphy has also been reportedly eyeing a race against Rubio with similar possible motivations.

[msfiddlestix]

14. I see. So the pro/con decisions look better for the Senate race in her case.

Ok, I can see the logic. Well, I wish her and Floridians all the best with her pulling off a victory.

That would be better than awesome!

[Jose Garcia]

27. This will be an uphill battle

Florida is definitely becoming more red, with state-wide wins by Democrats few and far between.

Then there is the problem of Rubio himself. In order for a Democrat to win, they have to win Miami-Dade by a huge margin. But Rubio does much better in Miami-Dade than most Republicans.

[hay rick]

28. Demings is probably the strongest available candidate, but still an underdog.

The Florida electorate is deeply infected by Trumpism. Redistricting makes speculation about which seats are vulnerable guesswork. If their districts remained unchanged, Charlie Crist's district would probably be the most vulnerable.

[riversedge]

11. Great news. But wish there were 2 of her--one to run for Gov and one to run for Senate.

[mcar]

26. Nikki Fried looks like she's going to run for Gov

She'll be a solid candidate.

[Haggard Celine]

15. I think she can do it.

She'll start out a little behind probably, but I believe she can pull it off. She's a moderate Democrat and she was a chief of police, so nobody can say that she's going to defund the police. She's only been in Congress for a short time, so they won't have a long record of liberal votes to scare the independents with. I sure hope she does it!

[elleng]

16. ;-)

[mahina]

17. She would do a much better job for all of her constituents

Of any party

[multigraincracker]

18. Is she tuff Enuff?

Oh hell yes

[Evolve Dammit]

19. If Little Marco wasn't such an asshole, but he is and Val is perfect to replace his miserable ass.

[BobTheSubgenius]

21. In any case, I wish her the very, very best.

EVERY seat at every level of government is important, and have become more so in recent years.

[Carlitos Brigante]

22. In ain't gonna be easy. But hell yeah, hammer his lazy ass!! Why the fuck doesn't this

guy just go become a lobbyist or hedge fund manager? He clearly gives 2 fucks about governing.

[rogue emissary]

23. Does anyone else kinda feel sorry for Rubio???

He going to get a fight.