ORLANDO, Fla. – Jerry Demings’ story in Orlando is a series of “firsts.”

The first Black Orlando police chief.

The first Black Orange County sheriff.

The first Black Orange County mayor.

Now he will try to add another first to his biography: Florida’s first Black governor.

Known for his deep voice and slow-paced cadence, the 66-year-old Orlando native is a pragmatic powerhouse politician in Central Florida. Outside of the region, however, he will have a lot of work to do to increase his visibility.

[WATCH: Demings’ gubernatorial announcement]

Lifetime in law enforcement

Demings was one of Orlando’s top cops for years, but that wasn’t his original career path.

Demings graduated from Florida State University with a degree in finance and returned to Orlando to work as an accountant.

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