MIRAMAR, Florida — Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) underscored her support for sweeping House legislation that would have enshrined abortion rights into federal law when pressed on her position regarding access as she campaigns to represent Florida in the Senate.
“I believe that we should pass the Women’s Health Protection Act that will codify the protections and provisions in Roe v. Wade,” Demings told the Washington Examiner Monday during a press availability in Miramar, Florida.
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Demings, a three-term congresswoman and Orlando’s former police chief, is challenging two-term Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the Sunshine State. The pair sparred about abortion last week during their only debate, with Demings repeating she agreed with certain restrictions after fetal viability, arguably close to Florida’s current 15-week ban.
The Women’s Health Protection Act is a broader measure and, if passed, would dismantle many states’ prohibitions. It failed to clear the Senate in February, receiving 46 votes to 48 against advancing the legislation.
Unlike gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist (D-FL), Demings has distanced herself from President Joe Biden. But she did not hesitate to echo the president’s contention that a Republican-controlled Congress would crash the economy.
“Republicans don’t have a plan to deal with inflation,” Demings said beside Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL). “The Republicans — not all of them, but certainly the person that I’m running against — voted against lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Now, who’s he working for? Is he working for the people, or is he working for Pfizer?”
Demings, who rose to national prominence as one of former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment managers, is polling behind her opponent two weeks before Election Day. Rubio has an average 5 to 6 percentage point lead, according to FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, respectively, in what the Cook Political Report has described as a likely Republican race.
But Demings seemed undeterred, adamant she still has time to persuade undecided voters with her message.
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“Look, I’m going to do what I have always done, and that is to work hard,” she said. “I’m traveling the state, from the Panhandle down to the Keys, and I’m talking to people about things that matter to them. I’m not playing political games.”
