Did you hear that? It was the sound of Marco Rubio wetting the bed after Val Demings announced she’ll be challenging him for his Senate seat in 2022.
“Unlike some in Washington, I never tired of standing up for what I believe is right,” Demings said in a video announcing her candidacy this morning. “Because no one is above the law.”
https://twitter.com/valdemings/status/1402581582528057345
In addition to being an all-around badass, Demings is a fierce LGBTQ ally.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Last year, she introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to end the discriminatory ban against LGBTQ blood donors, calling the practice “archaic.”
In 2019, she co-sponsored the Equality Act, saying in a tweet, “Our past is so ugly in this area. We should all be trying to make it right. The #EqualityAct will protect #LGBTQ people from discrimination in housing, employment, education, and more.”
For some reason we cannot seem to get past tearing down people who are different than us.
Our past is so ugly in this area. We should all be trying to make it right.
The #EqualityAct will protect #LGBTQ people from discrimination in housing, employment, education, and more.
— Former Congresswoman Val Demings (@RepValDemings) April 2, 2019
And in 2018, she gave a truly inspiring speech at the HRC’s annual Time to Thrive Youth Conference, where she took the room to church as she spoke about the importance of celebrating our authentic selves.
Rubio, on the other hand, opposes same-sex marriage, non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, and gender neutral bathrooms. He also voted against Pete Buttigieg being the first out Secretary of Transportation and Rachel Levin being the first openly trans assistant secretary for health. Oh, and he has a 0% rating with the HRC.
If she wins her party’s nomination, Demings will likely face an uphill battle, however. Democrats haven’t been doing great in Florida that last few election cycles. Trump carried the state in both 2016 and 2020 and last year two Democrats lost two House seats in the Miami area after flipping them just two years earlier.
Still, the former Orlando police chief and a rising star among Democrats would make a formidable opponent. And given the way she handled Jim Jordan like a total boss when he tried interrupting her on the House floor back in April, we’re 100% sure Rubio’s not looking forward to potentially standing next to her on a debate stage in what will doubtless be a very closely watched race.
https://twitter.com/RepValDemings/status/1384575887216103431
Here’s what folx on Twitter are saying about Demings’ campaign announcement this morning…
Future Florida Senator Val Demings just declared her campaign to defeat Marco Rubio!
— Grant Stern ? (@grantstern) June 9, 2021
The moment Marco Rubio heard Val Demings has entered the race pic.twitter.com/wYQZl7lQ3t
— GeorgiaPeach OG Biden Babe ????? (@ChrisFromGA68) June 9, 2021
Val Demings is running against Marco Rubio, that gives me hope.
— Mayo ? (@MayoIsSpicyy) June 9, 2021
I will never tire of supporting Val Demings because she’s ferocious & she’ll crush Liddle Marco like the traitorous bug he is #BlackWomenLead @valdemings https://t.co/vlIxJ1fokF
— (((Tara Dublin))), Rock Star Author ??????? (@taradublinrocks) June 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/ReportsDaNews/status/1402634705078566915
What have you done today to help Val Demings defeat Marco Rubio?
— Chris Hahn (@ChristopherHahn) June 9, 2021
Good time to remind everyone that Marco Rubio believes people should be forced to have their rapists’ babies and Val Demings does not.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) June 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/Reelhousewife1/status/1402649188446343168
Marco Rubio is going to need more than a daily Bible passage tweet to beat Val Demings next year
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) June 9, 2021
Go get ’em, Ma’am.
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) June 9, 2021
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
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Heywood Jablowme
Rubio has always been bored with his job; he was sure it was just a stepping stone to the presidency. Demings would actually enjoy the job and be good at it! The Cop Killer Party (Republicans) will have to spend a lot of money on this one.
Fahd
Sad sack little Marco is so over. I do hope that the Democratic party can rebuild and accumulate some successes in Florida. Her welcome candidacy seems like part of that process. Good luck to her!
G-Man
I certainly hope she beats the little twerp he needs to go bye bye in a big way.
Vera Delmar
Yay! We need more Democrats to rise up and challenge those entrenched pro-tRump boot lickers in other states. And that sound Marco Rubio made when he heard that Val Deming was taking him on was not the sound of him wetting his bed…it was the sound of him crapping his pants. He must have said, “Oh crap!”
Liquid Silver
That’s a bit of a long shot, but sure, even I’ll donate to that.
cuteguy
Good luck Val. The Dems are a mess in Florida. They supported Andrew Gillum in 2018 instead of Charlie Crist, and bc of that dumb mistake, we are all now suffering with that Trump puppet Ron Deathsantis. Lil Marco will pander to the ignorant Miami Cubans who actually believed the lie that the Dems are socialists like Fidel Castro. When it was Trump who acted like a dictator. Val
is going to have an uphill battle but I truly hope she wins
Mattster
Trump is awful but ran excellent campaigns in Florida, devoting a lot of time and effort there over years. Democrats need to solve the Florida equation or forever be at risk of getting shut out of power. Take Florida and the Republican path to the White House and senate majority become MUCH harder.
Biden and the dems should have started these efforts months ago. Visit the state, hire field workers and organizers, do Spanish talk radio. It’s definitely possible to win but it won’t happen if they only start the effort in fall of 2024.
Kangol2
Woman cop vs. bootlicking flip-flopper. It ought to be interesting!
jackscott
Finally some good news…go Val!
whateverokok
Good news? Did an honest to gosh real, for the people and truly honest politician come into existence? I didn’t think so. So, this is just another politician who don’t give a crap about us. WOW. Wake me when it’s over.
Cam
Fingers crossed!