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.
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