Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced Friday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is putting his campaign for Florida governor on hold as he focuses on treatment, saying the move was a “difficult decision.”
Jerry Demings disclosed the diagnosis during a press conference following his final State of the County address Friday morning. He said doctors confirmed the cancer diagnosis on Monday and that he shared the news with his family on Thursday.
“On Monday of this week, I received some bad news from my doctor, who confirmed that I have prostate cancer, and because of that, I am going to suspend my campaign for governor. I’m going to focus on my health, that will become the priority. I’m only sharing this because I am in this very visible public position. I am sharing about a private matter. I intend to continue running through the finish line of the mayor of Orange County,” he said.
Demings appeared alongside his wife, former U.S. Rep. and ex-Orlando Police Chief Val Demings, as well as other family members.
“In order for me to receive the treatment, I’m going to have to come off the campaign trail. I have to let something go. I can’t continue to do my job as mayor, take care of my family, and run for governor. So, I made a difficult decision.”
The longtime public servant thanked supporters who backed his gubernatorial bid and stood by him throughout his career.
“All those people who have supported me in this run, who have believed in me as I have run for governor, I say, ‘thank you,’ to all of them,” he said.
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Demings also reflected on his decades in public service.
“I had a wonderful career, a 45-year career, where I have given 100% during that time. I have not been home during hurricanes, other emergencies, I’ve been out serving the people. My prayer was that I would continue to serve at a different level, but if I don’t take care of my own health, I won’t serve anybody,” he said.
Jerry Demings was elected Orange County mayor in 2018, becoming the county’s fifth mayor and its first Black mayor, according to his official biography. He won reelection in 2022, and his current term expires at the end of 2026.
Before taking over as mayor, Demings served as Orlando police chief beginning in 1998. He later won election as Orange County sheriff in 2008 and secured reelection in 2012 and 2016. A graduate of Jones High School, he and Val Demings have three sons.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the United States outside of non-melanoma skin cancer and remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in men.
The CDC says all men face some risk of developing prostate cancer, with age serving as the biggest factor. African American men and those with a family history of the disease face a higher risk.
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