Central Florida elected officials, voters react to Biden picking Kamala Harris as his running mate

After months of speculation, presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has announced Kamala Harris as his running mate.

Read: Who is Kamala Harris? 5 things to know about Joe Biden’s VP pick

Harris has long been rumored as a front-runner for the spot as well as Rep. Val Demings, who serves Florida’s 10th Congressional district.

Here’s what Central Florida had to say about Biden’s pick:

Rep. Val Demings

Demings said the Biden/Harris ticket “promises to restore America’s faith.” Read the full statement below.

“For a little girl who grew up poor, Black and female in the South to be considered during this process has been an incredible honor. I feel so blessed. To see a Black woman nominated for the first time reaffirms my faith that in America, there is a place for every person to succeed no matter who they are or where they come from.

In this time of crises, we deserve leadership that will not only put America back on track, but build back better. The Biden/Harris ticket promises to restore America’s faith that we can defeat COVID-19, save our crippled economy, restore honor and integrity to the White House, protect the rights, liberty, and safety of the American people, and expand access to health care and opportunity for all.

I will continue to work to make the American Dream an attainable reality for every person in our country, and continue the struggle for a more perfect union. To that end, I am excited to do everything in my power to ensure that on January 20th, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States.”

Rep. Anna V. Eskamani

Rep. Anna V. Eskamani celebrated Biden’s choice with a few tweets.

Florida Democrats

Florida Democrats called Biden’s choice “a winning ticket.”

Nikki Fried

Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried tweeted that Harris is the “ambitious, smart and someone every little girl and boy can look up to.”

Trump campaign statement

President Donald Trump’s campaign shared their thoughts on Biden’s pick:

“Not long ago, Kamala Harris called Joe Biden a racist and asked for an apology she never received. Clearly, Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals, as well as try to bury her record as a prosecutor, in order to appease the anti-police extremists controlling the Democrat Party. In her failed attempt at running for president, Kamala Harris gleefully embraced the left’s radical manifesto, calling for trillions of dollars in new taxes and backing Bernie Sanders’ government takeover of healthcare. She is proof that Joe Biden is an empty shell being filled with the extreme agenda of the radicals on the left.”

Read: Who is Kamala Harris? 5 things to know about Joe Biden’s VP pick

RNC statement

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called Biden’s pick “radical.” See the full statement below:

“A hiding, diminished, and incoherent Joe Biden didn’t just select a vice-presidential candidate, he chose the person who would actually be in charge the next four years if he is somehow able to win. Kamala Harris’ extreme positions, from raising taxes to abolishing private health insurance to comparing law enforcement officials to the KKK, show that the left-wing mob is controlling Biden’s candidacy, just like they would control him as president. These radical policies might be popular among liberals, but they are well outside the mainstream for most Americans.”

Cox Media Group