Rep. Val Demings has emerged out of the shadows as a potential running mate for former Vice President Joe Biden. Previously, the race for the vice presidency was thought to be a two horse race between Sens. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren. However, Demings’ stock has consistently risen over the last few weeks.
“She is one of a group of close to a dozen really qualified and talented women who are on the list,” Biden said.
“She’s a very competent, very capable person,” he added.
Born in the late 1950’s, Demings is a Floridian through and through. After attending Florida State University and Webster University in Orlando, Demings worked as a social worker before becoming a cop. She served as Chief of the Orlando Police Department for 27 years before stepping down nearly a decade ago.
The Jacksonville native entered the political world in 2012 as the Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives in Florida’s 10th congressional district. She earned 48% of the vote, but lost the election to former Rep. Daniel Webster. Four years later, Demings ran for the same seat and won. In 2018, she won the seat again after running unopposed.
“My background in Florida is pretty humble, being brought up poor, black and female in the South and being told enough times what I couldn’t do and what I couldn’t be, but I became a police chief and now a member of Congress,” Demings said.
Biden will have more time to decide on a potential running mater, but it appears that the race is far from over. As it stands, Sens. Harris and Warren will now compete with a third candidate, Rep. Val Demings.
