Jerry Demings
Governor
FL Governor 2026
Jerry Demings is the Mayor of Orange County and the second-polling Democrat in the 2026 Florida gubernatorial primary at approximately 10%. Born June 12, 1959 in Orlando, he earned a finance degree from Florida State University in 1980 before joining the Orlando Police Department in 1981. He rose through the ranks to become Orlando's first African American Chief of Police in 1998, then won election as Orange County Sheriff in 2008 — again the first African American to hold that office countywide. He was elected Mayor of Orange County in 2018, becoming the first African American to hold that seat as well. His wife, Val Demings, is a former U.S. Representative and was the 2022 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Florida. If elected governor, Demings would be Florida's first African American governor. He officially filed for the race on November 3, 2025, under the banner of his "I Believe" campaign, focused on affordability, public safety, and local home rule.
Public Safety
Community-centered policing; maintain public safety while protecting civil rights
- Led the Orlando Police Department and Orange County Sheriff's Office for a combined 20 years
- Implemented community policing programs reducing violent crime in Orange County
- Pushed back against what he characterized as "cruel" implementation of federal immigration enforcement
Affordability & Housing
Address housing costs and insurance as central economic priorities
- Campaigned on tackling affordable housing shortage in Central Florida
- Proposed healthcare access expansion as a county-level priority extended to state platform
- Advocated for task forces of working Floridians to address homelessness and mental health costs
Local Home Rule
Restore local government authority rolled back by the DeSantis administration
- Opposed state preemption laws that stripped county and municipal authority on guns, wages, and other issues
- Advocated for Orange County's independent approach to COVID-era public health decisions
- Made restoring local government power a core campaign distinction from Republican opponents
Environment
Protect Florida's natural resources and water quality
- Managed environmental initiatives in Orange County including water conservation programs
- Supported Everglades restoration and opposed development threatening Florida's water supply
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