ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced he is ending his campaign for Florida governor amid a battle with prostate cancer, according to our sister station WKMG in Orlando.
Demings delivered the news following his final State of the County address on Friday, saying that he is going to focus on his health.
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“I received some bad news from my doctor, who confirmed that I have prostate cancer, said Demings. ”And because of that, I’m going to suspend my campaign for governor.”
Demings announced his campaign for governor last November, stating that he was eyeing a role at the state level to tackle rising costs of living and improve public safety.
Jerry Demings has spent 45 years in public service — rising through the ranks from Orlando police chief to Orange County sheriff before becoming the county’s mayor. Now finishing out his second and final term, Demings says he has no intention of slowing down.
Despite suspending his campaign for Florida governor, Demings says he plans to spend the next six months “running through the finish line” as mayor before leaving office in November.
Demings made history in 2018 when he became the first African American mayor of Orange County. He has led the county for eight years.
During his time in office, Demings guided Orange County through the COVID-19 pandemic. That included expanding testing efforts as cases surged.
He also led the county through a tourism boom, with record revenue generated by the Tourist Development Tax — a key funding source.
Demings also pushed to address the county’s affordable housing shortage, including initiatives that used public dollars to support housing projects.
Not every effort succeeded. After voters repeatedly rejected a proposed sales tax increase aimed at funding transportation projects, Demings ultimately dropped the plan.
Demings leaves office as Orange County faces potential financial uncertainty. If Florida voters approve a property tax reduction in November, county leaders could be forced to consider significant budget cuts.