U.S. Rep. Val Demings announces 2022 campaign for Senate against Marco Rubio

ORLANDO, Fla. — Rep. Val Demings has officially launched her Senate campaign in Florida.

Demings is now the highest-profile Democrat yet to announce a challenge to Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

"I'm running for the United States Senate because of two simple words: Never tired," she said in her announcement video Wednesday.

Prior to her political career, Demings was named the Orlando Police Department's first female police chief in 2007.

In her campaign announcement, Demings highlighted that she served 27 years in the Orlando Police Department including commanding the Special Operations division and coordinating the response of the Airport Division on Sept. 11.

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Demings was first elected to Congress in 2016 as the U.S. Representative from Florida's 10th congressional district.

Her national profile has rapidly expanded. She was an impeachment manager during the first trial against President Donald Trump and was considered a leading contender to be Joe Biden’s running mate.

Demings will have some challengers in the Democratic primary. Several other Democrats are already seeking the party’s nomination, including former Rep. Alan Grayson.

Rubio said after the announcement that he's "always known that my opponent for the Senate was going to be a far-left liberal Democrat."

"Today we just found out which one of them Chuck Schumer's picked," Rubio said.

He went on to call Demings a "do-nothing House member with not a single significant legislative achievement in her time in Congress."