The same day Democratic Rep. Val Demings of Florida announced her candidacy to be the Democratic nominee for the state’s 2022 U.S. Senate race, incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio disparaged the former Orlando Police Chief.
“Congresswoman Val Demings is a do-nothing House Member,” Rubio stated in a video message. “With not a single significant legislative achievement in her time in Congress,” he added.
He said voters would “learn more about how ineffective and extremist the real Val Demings is when she’s in Washington.”
Rubio highlighted a record of bipartisanship and effectiveness. He noted that, in the midst of the pandemic, Demings had praised “the governors of New York and California,” and had warned, “that we were going to have mass deaths if we didn’t keep our schools closed and our entire economy on lockdown.” (RELATED: ‘I Want Us To Take It Seriously’: Rubio Urges Lawmakers To Drop ‘Stigma’ Of UFO Talks)
In a separate tweet, Rubio went on to link Demings to Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, noting she votes with the congresswoman “over 90% of the time.”
Demings was a top contender to become President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020, but ultimately chose Sen. Kamala Harris of California instead. Despite her high profile, she will still need to win the primary against others in her party, including her House colleague Rep. Alan Grayson.
https://t.co/kPlysL0aZd pic.twitter.com/06iEZMpmfS
— Val Demings (@valdemings) June 9, 2021
Cook Political Report lists the race as “likely Republican,” and the only statewide elected Democrat is Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried.
Demings responded to Rubio’s video with a photograph of herself in her police uniform.
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