Val Demings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Val Demings
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Official portrait, 2017
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 10th district |
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| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Daniel Webster |
| Succeeded by | Maxwell Frost |
| Chief of the Orlando Police Department | |
| In office December 16, 2007 – June 1, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Michael McCoy |
| Succeeded by | Paul Rooney |
| First Lady of Orange County | |
| Assumed role December 4, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Bruce Jacobs (First Gentleman) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Valdez Venita Butler
March 12, 1957 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Florida State University (BS) Webster University Orlando (MPA) |
| Police career | |
| Department | Orlando Police Department |
| Years of service | 1983–2011 |
| Rank | Chief |
Valdez Venita Demings (born March 12, 1957) is an American politician and a former police officer. She served as a U.S. representative for Florida's 10th district from 2017 to 2023. This area covers much of western Orlando and its nearby suburbs.
Before becoming a politician, Val Demings had a long career in law enforcement. From 2007 to 2011, she was the first female chief of the Orlando Police Department. She worked there for 27 years. Since December 4, 2018, she has also been the First Lady of Orange County, Florida. This is because her husband, Jerry Demings, became the County Mayor.
In 2012, Demings ran for U.S. Representative but lost. She won the election in 2016 after new district maps were created. In 2020, she was chosen by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to help lead the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. She was also considered as a possible running mate for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
Instead of running for the House again, she ran for the U.S. Senate in Florida in 2022 but lost. In July 2024, President Joe Biden nominated her to join the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Valdez Venita Butler was born on March 12, 1957. She was one of seven children in a family that didn't have much money. Her father worked as a janitor, and her mother was a maid. They lived in Jacksonville, Florida. She went to schools that were separated by race in the 1960s and finished high school in 1975.
Val Demings became interested in police work after being part of the "school patrol" in junior high. She studied criminology at Florida State University and graduated in 1979. Later, in 1996, she earned a master's degree in public administration from Webster University Orlando.
Career in Law Enforcement
After college, Demings worked as a social worker in Jacksonville for about a year and a half.
In 1983, she joined the Orlando Police Department (OPD). Her first job was patrolling the west side of Orlando. In 2007, she became the chief of the Orlando Police Department. She was the first woman to lead the department. During her time as chief, from 2007 to 2011, violent crime in Orlando went down by 40%.
Demings retired from the OPD on June 1, 2011, after serving for 27 years.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Representative
Val Demings first ran for the United States House of Representatives in 2012. She ran in Florida's 10th congressional district. She lost that election to the Republican candidate, Daniel Webster.
In 2015, Demings announced she would run for the 10th district seat again. This time, the district lines had been redrawn, making it more likely for a Democrat to win. She won the Democratic nomination in August 2016 and then won the general election in November with 65% of the votes. She was sworn into office on January 3, 2017.
Key Roles and Actions
As a U.S. Representative, Val Demings was a member of the New Democrat Coalition and the Congressional Black Caucus.
In January 2020, she was chosen to be one of the House impeachment managers. These managers presented the case against President Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial in the Senate. She also voted for the second impeachment of President Trump in January 2021.
In 2020, Demings was considered as a possible vice-presidential running mate for Joe Biden. However, Kamala Harris was chosen instead.
2022 U.S. Senate Campaign
In June 2021, Val Demings announced she would run for the U.S. Senate in Florida. She was seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge the Republican Senator, Marco Rubio. She lost to Senator Rubio in the election on November 8, 2022.
After Congress
On July 25, 2024, President Joe Biden nominated Val Demings to serve on the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service. This board helps oversee the U.S. mail system.
Political Views
Healthcare
Val Demings supports the Affordable Care Act, which is a law designed to make health insurance more available. She has also spoken out about the high prices of insulin, saying that it's wrong for companies to charge so much for a medicine people need to live.
Gun Policy
Demings believes in keeping guns away from people who might use them to cause harm. She supports laws that would allow temporary removal of guns from people who are a danger to themselves or others. She does not support giving guns to teachers in schools, saying it would put more responsibility on school staff.
Civil Rights
Val Demings has a strong record of supporting civil liberties. She has received high ratings from groups that advocate for individual rights.
Climate and Environment
Demings has also shown support for protecting the environment. She has received high ratings from environmental groups for her voting record.
Personal Life
Val Demings is married to Jerry Demings. He is currently the mayor of Orange County, Florida. He was also the chief of the Orlando Police Department before her, being the first African American to hold that position. Val and Jerry met while working as police officers and got married in 1988. They have three children.
Val Demings is also a member of The Links and Delta Sigma Theta sorority, which are organizations focused on community service and sisterhood.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2017
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Demings (far right) with other women from the Congressional Black Caucus
See also
In Spanish: Val Demings para niños
