Former Congressman Alan Grayson, a national Democractic progressive icon, kicked off his campaign to return to the US Congress, with a grand opening of his campaign office in Kissimmee, Florida.
Grayson was joined at an event by Puerto Rico’s official Representative in Congress Pedro Pierluisi who enthusiastically endorsed Grayson for the new Congressional seat.
Grayson is the only Democrat seeking the new Congressional District 9 seat, which includes all of Osceola County and a huge chunk of Grayson’s former congressional district in Orange County.
The district as approved by the legislature and the courts is overwhelminingly Democrat. President Barack Obama carried the votes in the new district with over 60% four years ago and is expected to win handily again.
Grayson, who has raised over $1.7 million in tens of thousands of small donations from individual donors, has nearly $1 million in the campaign account. If required, he can draw also draw on a personal net worth estimated at more than $100 million.
Grayson’s likely Republican opponent is Orlando attorney Todd Long, a traditional conservative. Long nearly won the GOP nomination in two separate runs for the old 8th District and is heavily favored to win the nomination against several local GOP Hispanic candidates.
Grayson, with endorsements from every major Democrat organizations, easily chase off potential challengers from within his party with a combination of money, name recognition and organization, unsurpassed in congressional races this year.
