Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings has filed to run for governor in the 2026 general election, according to state Division of Elections records.  

The Democrat, who was last elected Orange County mayor in 2022, filed to run on Friday, Oct. 31, although he has yet to officially announce his campaign. That is set to happen later this week at a rally, but until then, his campaign office said he will have no public statement on his candidacy.  

Demings will be up against former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, a Democrat who left the Republican Party during the first Trump administration.  

Demings, the first Black mayor of Orange County, was first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Prior to becoming mayor, Demings became the city of Orlando’s first African American police chief in 1998. He was elected the first African American Orange County sheriff in 2008, then re-elected in 2012 and 2016.  

He is married to former U.S. Congresswoman Val Demings. They are the parents of three and grandparents of five.  

Former House Speaker Paul Renner and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, both Republicans, are already campaigning to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.  

In a statement responding to Demings’ candidacy, Donalds sharply criticized the mayor’s record.  

“Jerry Demings is the candidate the radical Florida Democrat party has been dreaming of,” Donalds said in his statement. “As police chief, Demings pushed weak-on-crime policies. As Orange County Mayor, he refused to work with ICE to deport criminal illegals and pushed radical ideas like allowing grown men in girls’ locker rooms and men to compete in girls’ sports. And as a candidate, his entire campaign will be about fighting President Trump and his policies that are making Florida safer and stronger. Jerry Demings is weak. He’s woke. And he’s wrong for Florida.” 

In his June State of the County, Demings touted the county’s achievements, including fiscal prudence in managing the FY2025 budget of $7.2 billion. He also said the county had an economic tourism impact of 75.3 million visitors in 2024, which yielded a nearly $93 billion economic impact.   

Throughout Demings’ two terms, he strove to increase quality of life for county residents, especially where affordable housing were concerned. For this reason, Demings created the county’s first Housing for All Task Force in 2019. The following year, he and the Board of County Commissioners dedicated $160 million over a decade to the county’s first Housing Trust Fund for the construction of affordable and workforce housing units.  

In 2023, Demings earmarked $100 million over the next five years through the Accelerated Transportation Safety Program, focusing on bettering immediate transportation needs for pedestrians, bicyclists and public transport.  

As well, the mayor spearheaded the launch of a $100 million Sustainable Community Plan for acquiring land for preservation. This effort is meant to step up the county’s GreenPLACE program and continue safeguarding the county’s wildlife and natural habitat.  

Demings has also faced numerous battles as Orange County mayor. In August, he signed an updated agreement with ICE in response to State Attorney General James Uthmeier’s warning that he and all county commissioners could be removed from office if the addendum were not adopted.   

Also in the summer, the state CFO subpoenaed Orange County employees “who may have knowledge of efforts to obstruct the state’s ongoing local government DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] audits,” according to a statement from the state.  

The audit began because of the county’s yearly $330 million increase of the ad valorem tax, county officials including Demings defended the population growth. 

The primary gubernatorial election is Aug. 18, 2026. The general gubernatorial election is Nov. 3, 2026.