ORLANDO, Fla. – Alan Grayson, the Democrat who represented part of Orange County for several years in Congress, is hoping to make a comeback.
Grayson announced Tuesday that he would run in the Democratic primary for U.S. House District 10. That seat is being vacated by Rep. Val Demings, who is running for U.S. Senate.
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“There’s a lot of room for improvement in people’s lives,” Grayson said in a news release. “We are fighting inflation to the death. I want lower taxes, lower tolls, and lower rent, and all those things can be accomplished.”
Grayson served in Congress from 2009 to 2011, when he was defeated by Republican Rep. Dan Webster, and then from 2013 to 2017. He left Congress to run for U.S. Senate, but was defeated in the Democratic primary.
Grayson’s slogan was “the congressman with guts.” He was best known for fiery speech, including the time during the battle over the Affordable Care Act when he said the Republican health care plan was “to die quickly.”
There are nine Democrats who have filed paperwork to run for the Congressional District 10 race, so there will be a primary on Aug. 23 for the seat.
They also include State Sen. Randolph Bracy, civil rights lawyer Natalie Jackson, Jack Achenbach, Eric Atkinson, Jeffrey Boone, Maxwell Frost, Terence Gray and Teresa Tachon.
Not all of these candidates are listed as qualified to run for the office yet, according to the Florida Division of Elections.