Rep. Valdez "Val" Demings (D) is arguably one of the most outspoken critics of former President Donald Trump, and of the effort by congressional Republicans to challenge the 306 electors President Joe Biden received on election night 2020, may have taken a swing at Senator Marco Rubio over "free and fair elections."
In a possible political jab at Senator Marco Rubio, who she is challenging in the 2022 Senate race in Florida, Rep. Demings recently tweeted that some members of Congress "would be glad to never see another free and fair American election." Demings could be referring to the aforementioned January 6th electoral challenge by Republicans or the effort by Senate Republicans to squash the For The People bill to overhaul the entire election system or both.
"Our democracy is on a knife’s edge. There are those in this country—even here in Congress—who would be glad to never see another free and fair American election. But I believe that liberty and justice are stronger. I believe that we can win," state Demings.
However, Republicans contend that Demings and congressional Democrats are trying to cheat by changing elections laws in an effort to affect the outcome of future elections. The For The People bill Demings voted for and that most congressional Democrats support will only "ensure partisan divisions continue to deepen," said Democratic Senator Joe Manchin.
But Demings isn't just supporting The For The People Act, or HB 1, the Orlando native recently introduced her "Every Vote Counts Act," a measure that Senator Rubio, who calls Demings an "extremist," would federalize elections by undoing voter integrity laws similar to the bill signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
“She’s trying to undo what the Florida legislature passed,” said Sen. Rubio in an interview with The Floridian. “These guys don’t want there to be any election laws, she’s part of their national Marxist strategy.”
Demings has yet to clarify what exactly is in her legislation.
Our democracy is on a knife’s edge. There are those in this country—even here in Congress—who would be glad to never see another free and fair American election. But I believe that liberty and justice are stronger. I believe that we can win.
— Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) July 23, 2021
