Scott Powers
The heat has turned up under speculation that Democratic Rep. Val Demings could be a vice presidential candidate since she endorsed frontrunner Joe Biden Thursday, and gambling odds-makers responded Friday by listing her as a 14-1 pick for that nomination.
That makes Demings a longer shot than four former presidential candidates and former Georgia state House Minority leader Stacey Abrams.
Yet it makes Demings a shorter bet than a score of other potential Democratic vice presidential candidates handicapped Friday in the odds making released by US-Bookies.com, which calls itself the first comprehensive betting web portal in the United States.
The gambling house says California Sen. Kamala Harris is the betting favorite to be the Democrats’ vice presidential nominee, at 3-1, followed by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar at 5-1, Abrams at 6-1, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 8-1, and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 12-1.
After Demings’ 14-1 odds, slightly-longer odds are being offered on Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, former Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner, and Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who each were listed at 16-1.
Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, and Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth are currently assigned 20-1 odds. Others, including current Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Tulsi Gabbard, and former Democratic presidential candidates Cory Booker, Julian Castro, Andrew Yang, Beto O’Rourke, Deval Patrick, Jay Inslee, John Hickenlooper, Steve Bullock, and Mike Bloomberg come in at even longer odds, as high as 50-1.
Of Demings, US-Bookies.com betting industry analyst Alex Donohue said, “she wasn’t even in the lists previously but has now been added in a prominent position. She is a VP candidate oddsmakers will be watching closely from here.”
That comes as buzz builds around Demings’ prospects to be on the Democrats’ ticket, particularly if Biden wins the party’s presidential nomination.
This week she drew at least mentions on CNN, the New York Times, the Orlando Sentinel, and other news media. VOGUE magazine published an article Thursday urging Biden to consider six women as vice president, including Demings. NewsOne.com pointed to a big uptick in social media buzz to go along with mainstream media mentions, noting, “Demings’ name has quickly crept into the collective consciousness of social media politicos who offered up the Congresswoman from Florida as a viable alternative to for potential running mates.”
And Demings is set to join Biden’s wife Jill Biden Saturday night speaking to the LGBTQ+ Caucus of the Florida Democratic Party in Orlando.
