Val Demings wins, one step closer to be the first black US senator from Florida
Former Orlando police chief Val Demings trampled her Democratic Party rivals Tuesday and will now square off against Republican Sen. Marco Rubio in November.
Currently representing Florida’s 10th congressional district, Demings beat out three rivals — including former state Rep. Brian Rush — with an emphatic 85 percent of the tally.
Demings, 65, who’s served three terms in Congress, will vie to become the first black US senator from Florida after having the rout of a race called just after 8 p.m.
The ex-top cop treated the primary as a formality on the campaign trail and instead trained her sights on Rubio, blistering her GOP rival and projecting confidence ahead of their upcoming showdown.
“We did it, Florida! We won the primary, now it’s time for us to #RetireRubio,” Demings tweeted Tuesday night.
The Floridian has proven to be a potent fundraiser, amassing nearly $50 million ahead of the primary and reportedly outspending her rivals by a count of 170 to 1.
But the incumbent remains a formidable foe for Demings and has served in the US Senate since 2011.
Despite that entrenchment, Democratic Party leaders consider Demings to be a viable suitor to his seat and some polls have her neck and neck with the Miami native.
Citing her career in law enforcement, Demings has sought to blunt GOP attacks on her progressive positions and commitment to crime-fighting.
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