Former Orlando Chief of Police Val Demings will announce she’s running for the United States Congress on Wednesday, reliable sources have confirmed. Demings abruptly announced her retirement from the Orlando Police Department in May after serving as that City’s first African-American Chief of Police.
There have been rumors regarding Deming’s political aspirations since her announcement and it seems as if those reports are true.
It is not yet known which district Demings will attempt to represent but she may have competition from current state Senator Gary Siplin who may run for U.S. Congress as well. Gary is no longer able to run for the Florida state Legislature due to term limits.
If Siplin does decide to run for Congress he’ll have to face questions regarding his record for voting alongside state Republicans, especially on economic issues.
Demings is wildly popular in the City of Orlando and has the support of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer as well as other high ranking Democratic representatives. Siplin has sporadic support within the party and most local Democrats will likely get behind the former police chief who is credited with a major reduction of violent crime in the city of Orlando.
Before being appointed as police chief in 2007 Demings served the Orlando police department for 27 years.
