While Progressive Democrats have at large embraced the, "Defund the Police," narrative, the rhetorical issue has caused an issue for the Val Demings campaign, as the Senatorial hopeful believes her long record in law enforcement will be enough to take down US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).
Senator Rubio has alleged that Demings supports the Defund the Police movement, which she is taking a harder stance than ever at denouncing. In a new ad, Demings highlighted her 27 years of working in law enforcement and called these allegations, "lies," from Marco Rubio.
Demings further called the Defund the Police movement a bad idea and "just crazy." In a statement to the Orlando Sentinel, Demings flat out stated, "I am the police. This is ridiculous."
Although her rhetoric does not match that of her Liberal counterparts, Rubio has been backed by police officers and sheriffs around Florida. The Florida Fraternal Order of Police and several Police Chiefs around Florida have endorsed Marco Rubio's reelection efforts.
Rubio has clearly made pitting Demings against her former career a pivotal part of his campaign. This month Rubio's attack ad on his challenger has him stating that Demings is, "abandoning law enforcement."
Steve Zona, Florida FOP President even stated in Rubio's latest anti-Demings ad, “Val Demings went to Washington and she abandoned her brothers and sisters in blue.”
Al Palacio, Miami Dade School Police Department FOP President is also not convinced that Demings supports police, regardless of her record, “The fact that Val Demings, his opponent, supports the Defund the Police movement, to me, is a non-starter.”
In the same ad, Rubio highlights that Demings once called the actions by the Minneapolis City Council to defund police "thoughtful."
"I do believe that everyone has a right to look at any proposal that is put forth because there desperately needs to be change," Demings said on CBS This Morning. "I also believe that the council is being very thoughtful in terms of looking at all of the services that police provide…. The council, along with law enforcement authorities and other community leaders, will sit down and look at everything and come out with a plan that allows them to keep Minneapolis safe but also bring the community and the police together in a much needed and long overdue way."
