ORLANDO, Fla. — House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi was in Orlando Thursday for the official swearing-in of Rep. Val Demings.
Pelosi presided over the ceremony at the Orange County Regional History Center on East Central Avenue.
Demings, who is a former Orlando police chief, represents Orlando's 10th Congressional District.
“I, Val Butler Demings,” Demings repeated during her swearing-in.
Demings already secured a leadership role within the House Democratic Caucus. She also spoke at the Democratic National Convention in June.
Channel 9’s Christopher Heath said her rise comes at a time where the Democratic Party appears to be on the decline.
The party is fighting a Republican majority, and a president with plans to repeal health care while building a $20 billion border wall.
“Any idea where the money comes from?” Heath asked.
“No, no, the fact is we have a tight budget as it is now,” Demings said.
Pelosi and Demings also took aim at President Trump's unfounded claims of millions of fraudulent votes.
“If there was evidence of voter fraud, we would want to know about it. That does not exist,” Demings said.
Demings will sit on the powerful House Oversight Committee.
Demings is wife of Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings and former Orlando police chief.
During the ceremony, Demings presented folded American flags to the families of slain Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton and Orange County Deputy Norman Lewis. Both flags flew above the U.S. Capitol.
Mayor Buddy Dyer and other local leaders attended the ceremony.
Other stories related to Val Demings: