Democrat Alan Grayson wants his former seat back, despite the fact that is currently held by Democrat, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09).
Grayson, did not run for re-election to the seat in 2016, opting instead to run for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, a race he ultimately lost to Patrick Murphy.
“I wish I hadn’t run for Senate,” said Grayson. “If I hadn’t run for Senate, I’d be in Congress right now fighting Donald Trump tooth and nail right now. I think Donald Trump should be impeached.”
In an interview with Eyewitness News, Grayson laid out his reasons for running again, saying he felt like he had unfinished business, dismissing the idea that he would be challenging an incumbent Democrat in a heavily Democratic district.
“I don’t need anyone’s permission to run for office. What I’ve done is ask the people,” said Grayson. “I can run anywhere in the state; I could run from Key West to Pensacola.”
While Grayson could move to another part of the state to run there, he still lives in Orlando and has continued to raise money; raising more than $190,000 in the first quarter of 2018.
Florida’s 9th Congressional District encompasses southeast Orange County as well as eastern Polk County and western Osceola County. The district, which Rep. Soto won in 2016 by more than 50,000 votes, is rated by the Cook Political Report as “safe Democratic” meaning it is likely to remain Democratic in 2019.
Grayson, in running for his old seat, is banking on his name-ID in the district. In 2016 Grayson lost 60 of 67 Florida counties in the Florida Democratic Senate primary. Two of the seven counties he won: Osceola County and Orange County, both in the 9th District.
The race is also likely to bring up questions about Grayson’s personal life. In the 2016 election, he was peppered with questions about ties to an offshore hedge fund as well as allegations from his ex-wife in the wake of a nasty and very public divorce.
Cox Media Group
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