Renzo Downey
Yet another law enforcement union is endorsing U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s re-election ahead of early voting in Florida.
The International Union of Police Associations is throwing its support behind the Republican incumbent as he faces a challenge from Democratic U.S Rep. Val Demings, a former Orlando Police Chief. The endorsement came Saturday, during the weekend before the start of early voting and days after the pair held their first and only debate.
“On behalf of the International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO, I am proud to endorse your campaign for reelection to the United States Senate,” IUPA International President Sam Cabral said in an endorsement letter. “You have long been an advocate for public safety and the brave men and women who provide it. Your vote and advocacy for issues important to us and our mission have been unwavering.”
Despite Demings’ background in law enforcement, Rubio has raked in endorsement from the law enforcement community. Apart from IUPA, he is endorsed by a bipartisan group of 56 of Florida’s 67 Sheriffs, the Florida Police Chiefs Association, the Florida Police Benevolent Association, the Florida Fraternal Order of Police and the National Association of Police Organizations.
Cabral’s statement alluded to the answer for why his organization did not endorse Demings, who was Orlando’s first female Police Chief and served a 27-year career in law enforcement.
“Many wrap themselves in the fabric of ‘law and order,’ and then forget those commitments upon entering office,” Cabral said. “You have been beside us always.”
In May, when Demings, whose campaign frequently refers to as “Chief Demings,” filed her paperwork to challenge Rubio, she answered reporters’ questions about the fact that law enforcement were lining up behind her opponent.
“I know that Marco Rubio wished that he could get one of those sheriffs or chiefs to run for him against me. Maybe he’s using them as cover; I don’t know,” Demings said. “But what I do know is this, that Marco Rubio will have to run against me. This race is between him and me.”
Critics claim that, in June 2020, Demings praised the “defund the police” movement that emerged from the Black Lives Matter movement that summer. The cited statement was taken out of context, and she has consistently stated she opposes the idea.
As part of a law enforcement package last month, the U.S. House passed a bill she filed and sponsored, the VICTIM Act, which would allocate $1 billion to local police departments to hire victim support personnel. The bill received unanimous support from Democrats plus the votes of 30 Republicans.
The International Union of Police Associations, based in Sarasota, represents rank and file law enforcement professionals from across the country, including more than 4,000 members in Florida.
In recent years, IUPA has come under fire from the Center for Public Integrity and the Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board for spending the majority of the funds it raises on more fundraising. The Better Business Bureau also gives the organization an “F” rating.
During the Black Lives Matter protests, the AFL-CIO defended its connection with the IUPA.
“We believe the best way to use our influence on the issue of police brutality is to engage our police affiliates rather than isolate them,” wrote in one in a series of tweets.
12 comments
Tom
October 23, 2022 at 10:58 am
Shocking, the chief Dumings is passed on again!
Pathetic, she hasn’t passed a bill in the
Majority.
Looking for her gun still. Pathetic.
Ass kicking coming. Enjoy.
Tom
October 23, 2022 at 2:28 pm
Dumings has no accomplishments, non passed, nothing achieved in 6 yrs.
She lost her gun.
Over 3/4 of the police orgs in state and this internationally one support Marco. This is a huge set back for the chief! LOL
There is no comparison between the two. Sen. Rubio is a world class Senator. He’s passed major legislation.
1. The doubling of child tax credits crosses party lines, helping families.
2. The PPP program during Covid, he helped businesses and our country survive.
3. HUD, affordable housing funding in Tampa and access, just a few.
There is no comparison, Dumings is a lightweight. Marco wins!
The Real Tom
October 23, 2022 at 3:14 pm
Marco is a dead fish, a soup sandwich, a glass of piss. Needs to be sent back to Cuba on a reverse banana boat. Show him what communism really is.
Tom
October 23, 2022 at 2:28 pm
Dumings has no accomplishments, non passed, nothing achieved in 6 yrs.
She lost her gun.
Over 3/4 of the police orgs in state and this internationally one support Marco. This is a huge set back for the chief! LOL
There is no comparison between the two. Sen. Rubio is a world class Senator. He’s passed major legislation.
1. The doubling of child tax credits crosses party lines, helping families.
2. The PPP program during Covid, he helped businesses and our country survive.
3. HUD, affordable housing funding in Tampa and access, just a few.
There is no comparison, Dumings is a lightweight. Marco wins!
The Real Tom
October 23, 2022 at 3:20 pm
Rubio is a rancid pot of Cuban coffee, a rusty nail, a silly bung hole. Val Demings is more competent. Who cares about the gun. You people never blame the criminal anymore. Just look at Trump crime spree.
JOHN DOE
October 28, 2022 at 5:41 pm
GO JACK OFF
The Real Tom
October 23, 2022 at 1:07 pm
Real Tom legend here..
Marco Rubio is a cold drink of water on a winters day…an empty suit…a limp penis.
VOTE FOR VAL DEMINGS!!!
Tom
October 23, 2022 at 1:27 pm
Degenerate Joey Corsin, alias real Tom now. Mental case. How many aliases u have.
You make me the FP legend, like so many others before u. So pathetic of you to use my name. Loser! Such a pussy.
Go find Dumings gun, make more useful time of self. U r as clueless as she is.
You can’t run with me. Loser.
The Real Tom
October 23, 2022 at 2:19 pm
Quit swinging off Rubio’s ping pong balls fake Tom. He’s a cold drink of piss on a artic day. An empty suit..
Tom
October 23, 2022 at 1:27 pm
Degenerate Joey Corsin, alias real Tom now. Mental case. How many aliases u have.
You make me the FP legend, like so many others before u. So pathetic of you to use my name. Loser! Such a pussy.
Go find Dumings gun, make more useful time of self. U r as clueless as she is.
You can’t run with me. Loser.
The Real Tom
October 23, 2022 at 2:21 pm
Posting things twice all the time just makes you tiring to everyone. Kinda like empty suit and cold drink of piss Marco Rubio. Get a life you Villages douchebag…
marcus
October 23, 2022 at 4:07 pm
demmings largest accomplishment was losing her gun!!
Comments are closed.