Her name truly packs a punch and she's gaining steam by the moment. Rep. Valdez “Val” Demings is currently serving the 10th Congressional District in Florida. The Democrat has been serving the U.S. House since 2017 after being elected in 2016. After losing her first race back in 2012, the 64-year-old beat the odds, winning her first race in 2016 with a 64.9% vote. Demings beat out Republican Thuy Lowe in the general election and was even endorsed by former President Barrack Obama. In 2020's general election she went on to secure her position beating counterparts Republican Vennia Francois and Democrat Sufiyah Yasmin.
Although she originally considered running for Florida governor, she now has her eyes set on the Senate which she announced in a bid last week. Demings will challenge Republican Sen. Marco Rubio for the seat.
She currently serves on the House Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Intelligence Committees.
The rising congressional star came to prominence when then-presidential nominee Joe Biden submitted her candidacy as a potential vice presidential running mate in August 2020.
The mother of three sons and the grandmother of five has impressive background that speaks to her ability to lead and make change. Here are five things about the badass politician who's about to shake up more things in Congress.
1. She began her career in law enforcement.
According to her bio Demings fundamental sense of right and wrong was guided by both her parents’ lessons and the police shows she watched as a child. Later, she served as the "school patrol" at Dupont Junior High School. This is where she first got a taste for law enforcement — and she stuck with it.
Demings was the first in her family to graduate from college and was determined to graduate from the police academy as well. She ended up not only doing that, but also being voted class president by her peers. She even received the Board of Trustees’ Award for Overall Excellence. Those around her said she was smart, tenacious, and had the personality of a no-nonsense cop.
In 2007, she rose through the ranks of the Orlando Police Department (OPD), becoming the city's first female Chief of Police. During her time at OPD she reduced violent crime by more than 40% due in part to a campaign she created. She also implemented a mentoring program. She spent 27 years with the department.
2. She is highly educated and holds multiple degrees.
Demings was born March 12, 1957 in Jacksonville, Florida. Throughout her childhood in the 1960's, she attended segregated schools. But despite growing up through the pains of racism and the Civil Rights Movement, Demings would go on to further her education earning degrees from various institutions.
Carrying out her interest and dream to serve in law enforcement, Demings earned her B.S. in Criminology from Florida State University in 1979. She then went on to receive a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Webster University in 1996.
She's also received honorary doctorate degrees from Bethune-Cookman University, Florida Technical College and City College Fort Lauderdale.
3. Demings has a unique position on the issue of gun policy in Red state.
Being from a traditionally red state, Demings has had to field many questions with regards to her stance on gun policy and gun control. She has repeatedly said she wants to keep firearms from people who are not "responsible law-abiding citizens."
In 2017 she supported the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act. Demings said it was an important step to keeping people safe and free from fear.
"We must do what we can to make sure law enforcement has the tools it needs to more effectively perform the ever more challenging job of keeping us a safe nation," she said at the time.
She opposed allowing teachers to be armed with firearms after the tragic Stoneman Douglass High School shooting in Parkland, Fl. The National Rifle Association has openly disagreed with Demings position.
Demings currently serves as Vice Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task.
4. Her husband of more than 30 years also serves in a governmental position.
It comes as no surprise that a woman of Demings’ progressive governmental background would find herself married to another political figure. Her husband Jerry Demings is the mayor of Orange County in Orlando, Florida. The 61-year-old is the first African-American to hold the position in the city.
The two first met while on patrol in the OPD and married in 1988. Ironically enough, her husband served as the Chief of Orlando Police in 1999 and served up until 2002. He was also the first African-American in that position. Who knew that she would be right on track to serve the force right in her husband’s footsteps?
5. She became one of the first Black women to prosecute a Presidential Impeachment trial.
Demings emerged as a national figure when she became one of the first women and one of the first Black Americans to prosecute a presidential impeachment before the U.S. Senate. In December 2019 she voted for both of the articles of impeachment against former President Donald Trump. On January 15, 2020, she was formally named as an impeachment manager for the trial by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Demings was there on the opening day of the trial where she gave speech detailing the articles. She said the trial was an important step to holding Trump accountable.
“Only in America can a little black girl, the daughter of a maid and a janitor growing up in the south in the 60s have such an amazing opportunity” in Congress, she said that day.
