Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings Suspends Gubernatorial Bid

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings Suspends Gubernatorial Bid

"Monday of this week, I received some bad news from my doctor."

Daniel Molina
Daniel Molina
June 5, 2026

The race for the Democratic gubernatorial nominee has come to an end as Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has suspended his gubernatorial campaign.

During a news conference, Mayor Demings announced that he would be suspending his campaign for governor after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"Monday of this week, I received some bad news from my doctor, who confirmed that I have prostate cancer. And because of that, I am going to suspend my campaign for governor," he said during the news conference.

Mayor Demings entered the race in November, challenging former Rep. David Jolly, who switched political parties from Republican to Democrat. He has been the mayor of Orange County since 2018, and he intends on finishing his term.

Responding to the announcement, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) issued words of support, writing, "Sending support, strength & my warmest get well wishes to @JerryDemings & his family. As a cancer survivor, I know how tough the news is."

"As long as I've known Jerry, he's been a fighter," she wrote. "With my friend @ValDemings by his side, he's in good hands. I wish him a speedy recovery."

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is a managing editor and legislative correspondent with a decade of experience covering the evolving political landscape of the American South and Southwest.

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