With President Joe Biden (D) campaigning alongside gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Crist (D), questions regarding Florida Rep. Val Demings’ (D) absence have sprung up. Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R), fending off a reelection campaign, has written off the former Orlando police chief as an ineffective lawmaker. With the economy taking center stage in the political debate, Rubio’s reelection team is directing blame to Demings.
In a statement, Elizabeth Gregory, the communications director for the Rubio campaign, expressed that “record high gas prices and skyrocketing food prices have prompted zero self-reflection on the part of Val Demings and Joe Biden, who continue to spend into oblivion on their radical agenda.”
Gregory added that “Demings’ blind support of the Democrats’ far left agenda 100% of the time has consistently made Floridians’ lives worse, and voters will hold Demings accountable in November.”
Though Democrats like Demings have boasted of increased support in their election campaigns, former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned that Democrats could face a loss if the election places too much focus on President Biden.
During an appearance on Meet the Press, Psaki warned Democrats that if the upcoming election “is a referendum on the President, they will lose, and they know that.”
Demings was shortlisted to be President Biden’s Vice Presidential pick, and the senatorial hopeful has been ambiguous regarding whether or not she would want to campaign with President Biden.
On the issue of the economy, polls show that voters side with the Republican party, which political pundits argue is a threat to the Democratic party as it seeks to expand its control of the political landscape.
Florida’s Senate race stands as one of the most closely watched races in the country, and Demings maintains that Florida voters could help elect the first Democratic Senator since Senator Bill Nelson (D).
