(Photo via Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings’ Facebook)
ORLANDO | Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, a Democrat, filed to run for governor on Oct. 31, a move that could make him the first African American governor of Florida.
Former Republican St. Petersburg Congressman David Jolly, who is now a Democrat and running for governor, will be facing Demings and perhaps more Democrats in next year’s primary as Gov. Ron DeSantis is term-limited and can’t run again.
Demings’ decision to enter the race means this could be the first time in Florida’s history that both parties have Black nominees running for governor. Rep. Byron Donalds, the GOP candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump, is the frontrunner on the Republican side.
The opening of his campaign account was first reported by the Orlando Sentinel, citing election records.
In 2008, Demings became the first African American elected sheriff in Orange County, and in 1998 was Orlando’s first African American police chief.
Demings is scheduled to hold an announcement rally at 5 p.m. on Nov. 6 in Orlando’s tourism corridor.
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