Florida U.S. Rep. Val Demings on Tuesday seized the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Sen. Marco Rubio this fall.
Demings, a former Orlando police chief and a prodigious political fundraiser, now has a chance to become Florida’s first Black female senator.
"I stand before you tonight believing in the promise of America," Demings told supporters at a rally Tuesday night.
The 65-year-old easily defeated three lesser-known candidates in Tuesday's primary.
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Rubio, 51, was first elected in 2010 and is the state's senior U.S. Senator. He won reelection in 2016 over Democrat Patrick Murphy by near 8 percentage points.
U.S. Rep. Val Demings gives her victory speech Tuesday as she seized the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Sen. Marco Rubio this fall.
NBC 6 and AP
