Marco Rubio’s decision to run for president has opened the door for eager politicians who have been waiting for a Senate seat to open up. Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson is just one of those eager politicians, and he just announced his intentions of running for Senator Rubio’s seat.
But this decision will most likely guarantee fierce battles between Grayson, who is an outspoken liberal, and US Rep. Patrick Murphy. Murphy has already been seeking sponsors statewide and according to a statement on Wednesday, he had already raised close to $1.5 million dollars.
Even so, Grayson is convinced that voters would be thrilled to rally behind a powerful voice and a man who has always been non-establishment and who has always fought against profiteers. Moreover, he is also convinced that he will be capable of raising the money not from lobbyists, multimillionaires or corporations, but from small donors, like he did in 2012 and 2014.
Grayson has always been a headline-maker politician. Proud of being one of the congressmen who only answer to their voters, Grayson is convinced that his accomplishments will speak for themselves.
“Elections are about something and politics are about something. It’s about doing good things for people,” he notes.
The congressman has released a video describing the reasons for his candidacy and how he got to where he is today. Portraying himself as the sick child coming from the tenements in the Bronx, who through hard work and discipline was accepted to Harvard and managed to work his way up.
Since entering Congress, Grayson notes that he has been the one member to write more bills, enact more of his own bills into law, and to pass more amendments than any other Congress member.
“I don’t work for them; I work for you. I am unbought, and unbossed. I own nothing to anyone but the People.”
Grayson’s unapologetic criticism of Republicans is widely known and comes as no surprise to anyone. Though he is particularly popular with members of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, there are certain party leaders who aren’t as convinced that Grayson actually has what it takes to win a general election.
Rod Smith, one of the Democratic Party’s former state chairmen, explains that despite Grayson’s following and his appreciation among progressive Democrats, Murphy is no less of a candidate and will prove formidable (if not unbeatable).
On Wednesday evening, the Florida Rep. made some remarks addressing the voting habits of Democrats, who, according to Grayson, rarely vote when there’s no difference between candidates. What works in Grayson’s favor is his massive social media following. Whether it will be enough remains to be seen.
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