Valdez Venita Demings is an American politician and former police officer who served as the U.S. representative from Florida's 10th congressional district from 2017 to 2023. The district covers most of the western half of Orlando and includes much of the area around Orlando's resort parks. It includes many of Orlando's western suburbs, including Apopka and Winter Garden. From 2007 to 2011, Demings was chief of the Orlando Police Department, its first female chief, capping a 27-year career with the department. She has also been first lady of Orange County, Florida, since December 4, 2018, when her husband Jerry Demings was sworn in as the mayor.
Val Demings
Demings (furthest to right) with Congressional Black Caucus women
Florida's 10th congressional district
Florida's 10th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. It was reassigned in 2012, effective January 3, 2013, from the Gulf Coast to inland Central Florida. Before 2017, the district included parts of western Orange County, most of Lake County, as well as a northern section of Polk County. The current district is entirely within Orange County, and covers most of its western portion. It is situated along the Interstate 4 corridor. It includes most of the western half of Orlando. Other cities and towns wholly or partly within the district include Apopka, Belle Isle, Beulah, Eatonville, Harlem Heights, Ocoee, Oak Ridge, Orlo Vista, Winter Garden, and Windermere. In 2020, the district was expanded further north and south to include most of Orlando east of Interstate 4, the Baldwin Park area, Orlando Executive Airport, Winter Park, that portion of Maitland within Orange County, the Azaela Park, Goldenrod, Rio Pinar and Alafaya/Waterford Lakes areas, and continuing east to the University of Central Florida, Naval Support Activity Orlando, the Central Florida Research Park, and the Lake Pickett, Bithlo and Wedgefield areas. Even with this expansion, the 10th remains a minority majority district.
Image: Sam Melville Gibbons
Image: J. Herbert Burke
Image: Louis A. Bafalis
Image: Andy Ireland