Jerry Demings

Jerry Demings is the Mayor of Orange County, Florida, serving since December 2018. A lifelong Central Florida public servant, Demings became Orlando's first Black Police Chief, the first Black Orange County Sheriff (elected 2008), and the first Black Orange County Mayor. He has been on the ballot seven times in his career and won every race. He is married to former U.S. Representative Val Demings, who represented Orlando in Congress for six years and was the 2022 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. In November 2025 Demings filed to run for Governor of Florida as a Democrat. If elected, he would be Florida's first African American governor. Campaign slogan: "I Believe Campaign." Endorsed by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Sheriff John Mina, and more than two dozen Central Florida officials.

The Mayor of Orange County serves as the chief executive of one of Florida's largest and fastest-growing counties, encompassing Orlando and the surrounding tourism corridor. Orange County is home to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and the Orlando International Airport — making it a major economic engine for the state. The Mayor oversees county government operations, the annual budget, public safety coordination, infrastructure development, and intergovernmental relations. As a candidate for Governor, Demings would oversee all of Florida state government if elected.