The Senate race between Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) and Congresswoman Val Demings (D-FL-10) is beginning to heat up, with each trading jabs. While Demings has not officially received the Democrat nomination, a considerable amount of Democrat support, fundraising, and polling is coalescing around Demings.
Demings recently went on the attack against Rubio, calling him an abortion “extremist.”
“My opponent believes that a woman should not have the right to an abortion regardless of the circumstances. He believes women should not have the right to an abortion even in the event of incest and rape,” Demings said.
She continued by offering limited reasons for her support for abortion.
“I support abortions up until the point of viability, or when it threatens the health of the woman,” Demings said.
Days before, Rubio’s camp referred to Demings’ cozying with Washington Democrats’ hopes to codify abortion law federally as supporting an “egregious bill.”
“Chuck Schumer is wishing he had a reliable, radical Democrat like Val Demings in the Senate today to give him another vote in favor of abortion up until the moment of birth,” said Elizabeth Gregory, the communications director for Marco Rubio for Senate.
The abortion debate has ramped up nationally as a recent leak from the United States Supreme Court has indicated that the justices may be inclined to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case and return abortion law back to the states.
“A woman should have the right to choose her own destiny,” Demings said to a Ruth’s List crowd, a group that backs abortion access. “We’re not going back. We’re not shutting up. We’re not sitting down. We are going to fight and fight and fight some more.”
Republican groups have mobilized for Rubio and against Demings, specifically related to the numerous ethics complaints Demings has racked up. Most recently, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust knocked Demings for participating in a committee hearing remotely from a Zoom call in her car.
Gregory also noted the complaint and said “it is utterly disgraceful that Val Demings thinks of her congressional duties as ‘background noise.’” It is Demings’ fourth ethics violation.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee spokeswoman Priscilla Ivasco issued a statement saying that Demings needs to be reminded that she works for Floridians.
“Perhaps Val Demings needs to be reminded that first and foremost her job is to represent the Floridians who elected her. Her mediocre performance as a Congresswoman is laughable, and shows she is more focused on playing politics than doing the job. Floridians need real representation, not just another Washington Democrat who will put politics above the interests of the people of Florida.”
In recent polls, Demings is trailing Rubio by as much as seven points. However, Demings has done well in passing Rubio in the fundraising effort.
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Grant Holcomb is a reporter at The Florida Capital Star and The Star News Network. Follow Grant on Twitter and direct message tips.
