She’s back to haunt his dreams. Former Orlando Chief of Police Val Demings announced that she’s running for Congress again today in a press release.
Candidate for Congress, Val Demings. Photo courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel
Demings will file to run in Congressional District 10, the same seat she ran for back in 2012 when she made her first attempt at elected office.
Now that the Congressional lines are being redrawn, it looks as if the new map will swing far enough left to give her a stronger chance to upend Webster.
She’ll have the money, the support, and returns as a stronger candidate.
But while Demings’ candidacy is surely one that will cause a stir, the political career of one Daniel Webster is being questioned now that it seems that his days in Congress may be numbered.
In speaking with the Orlando Sentinel, Webster seemed resigned to the fact that he might be working on borrowed time.
When asked how the new maps may impact his decision to run for re-election, Webster was slightly despondent.
“I’ll wait and see what [legislators] do. Everyone makes decisions based on a lot of facts. … Can I actually be elected in this district? Do I have even a chance? So we’ll see what happens. … I’m committed to running in a district for re-election that doesn’t disfavor an incumbent so much that they cannot win.”
Again—sounds like Webster recognizes that eating in the House cafeteria may no longer be in his future.
What’s recognizable, though, is Webster’s fight and political will.
The odds are seemingly stacked against him regarding layout of the new map and how his district may be drawn, but that won’t keep him away.
Four years ago when his seat was under fire from Demings, Webster won and wasn’t shy about voicing his distaste for what he called lies levied against his campaign.
Congressman Daniel Webster. Photo courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel
We ran “a campaign that was positive. A campaign that was truthful. A campaign that rejected the Washington playbook. A campaign that turned the other cheek — even when we were running out of cheeks,” Webster said according to the Sentinel.
Shouldn’t be any different this time around sans the competition.
As it currently stands, Webster’s main foe is Demings. That may alter if state Senator Geraldine Thompson decides to run in District 10.
Last week Thompson announced that she’s eyeing a potential run for Congress. Citing good health and a potential re-election campaign for the seat that she currently holds if the new maps re-calibrate the lines that secure the district she represents, she’ll then make the leap to run for Congress.
Even with Thompson running, Webster’s days in Congress are still likely done.
Plus—spending nearly thirty years in the Florida Legislature and three terms in Congress sums a fairly dynamic political career.
-JH
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