FL-9/11: Grayson to Return

Irascible former Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Orlando) confirmed yesterday he will again run for the House of Representatives.  The ex-Congressman originally won his seat in 2008 when he scored a 52-48% victory over then-Rep. Ric Keller (R-Orlando) in the first Obama year.  Two years later, current Rep. Dan Webster (R-Clermont) unseated Rep. Grayson in the Republican wave election.  After Florida gained two seats in reapportionment, one of which went to the central part of the state, Mr. Grayson returned in 2012 to the new 9th District.  He departed in 2016 to run unsuccessfully for Senate, losing to then-Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Jupiter) in the Democratic primary. 
 
Several weeks ago, Mr. Grayson filed a new congressional committee for the 11th CD, which would again pit him against Rep. Webster in a Republican district, but the conventional wisdom is suggesting that he will actually challenge freshman Rep. Darren Soto (D-Kissimmee) for the seat he formerly represented.  We are guaranteed to hear much more from a new Grayson for Congress campaign.  Controversy and Alan Grayson are never far apart.

--Jim Ellis