Former Congressman Alan Grayson (D) has entered the 2022 Senate race to unseat current Sen. Marco Rubio (R).
Grayson gave up his congressional seat in 2016 to run against Rubio, but lost. Grayson’s 2016 campaign imploded after allegations of domestic violence became public and endorsements of Grayson were soon withdrawn.
Grayson’s now ex-wife went to the police numerous times accusing Grayson of domestic abuse for over 20 years.
“I want the people to know my story so they know what kind of man Alan Grayson really is,” Lolita Grayson said in an email to POLITICO in 2017.
Grayson has refuted the allegations and claims his ex-wife hit him and set one of their cars on fire.
Grayson became known as a brash progressive who infamously said on the House floor “Republicans want you to die quickly” in 2009 regarding a healthcare debate. He also once compared the Tea Party Movement to the Ku Klux Klan, and views himself as a Democrat who would keep his promises.
“I think the campaign against Rubio badly needs someone who is going to explain what he is going to do to improve the lives of people in Florida,” Grayson said via Florida Politics. “We’ve had too many campaigns over the last quarter-century in Florida where Democrats don’t promise to do anything and run what amounts to vanity campaigns. I think people deserve more than that. They deserve a choice.”
Earlier this month, the Daily Beast reported and investigated on Grayson’s attempts to oust then-president Donald J. Trump in 2017 by launching “The Resistance Political Action Committee” which the Daily Beast said was “mostly dedicated to resisting Grayson’s own slide toward political irrelevance.” Grayson kept the over $150,000 raised for the PAC for his own political aspirations.
“It did not take off in the way that I was hoping,” Grayson said in a phone interview to the Daily Beast. “We weren’t getting the kind of response that we wanted to get, it was not a successful organizing effort, so over time, we let it go.”
However, government watchdogs informed the Daily Beast Grayson’s efforts likely fell within the letter of the law.
Before Grayson attempts to unseat Rubio, he will have to beat out Rep. Val Demings (D-10) who is also running in the Democratic primary.
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Grant Holcomb is a reporter at the Florida Capital Star and the Star News Network. Follow Grant on Twitter and direct message tips.
