Dan Webster Avoids Major Democratic Opponents So Far for 2014

Democrats would love to knock off Dan Webster in 2014 but the longtime Central Florida Republican leader starts off in a commanding position for a third term in Congress as his Democratic rival from 2012 stays on the sidelines.

Last year, Val Demings won the applause of Democrats across the nation as she challenged Webster. The former Orlando police chief won a great deal of attention but she came up short against Webster, taking 48 percent while the Republican incumbent took 52 percent.

Demings has left the door open to running again in 2014 but it increasingly appears to be more focused on running against Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. In truth, Demings may have had her best chance in 2012 as Webster faced redistricting, and Barack Obama and Bill Nelson provided coattails for the Democrats.