Alan Grayson gets Progressive Democrats endorsement

The Florida chapter of the Progressive Democrats of America on Monday threw its support behind Rep. Alan Grayson’s (D-Fla.) Senate campaign, according to a report from The Miami Herald. 

Grayson, the liberal firebrand who’s running for the seat vacated by presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), earned an endorsement from the progressive grassroots group, which emerged from the 2004 presidential campaigns of Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich.

{mosads}”Progressive Democrats of America’s Florida Chapter is proud to stand with our Congressman With Guts, and look forward to him fighting for all Floridians as our Senator,” Mike Fox, the group’s state coordinator, said in a statement. “We polled all of our membership statewide, and Alan won a resounding 90 percent of the vote.” 

Grayson is competing for the Democratic nomination in a heated primary with Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.), the establishment favorite who’s been leading in fundraising. In a Public Policy Polling survey from September, Grayson was leading Murphy by 6 points, but there have been no recent polls conducted. 

Earlier this month, three top staffers departed from Grayson’s campaign, which came after reports that the Florida congressman met with an ethics investigator regarding claims over his hedge funds.

The open-seat race is a toss-up, especially during a presidential year when Florida becomes a crucial swing state. On the Republican side, a crowded field is shaping up including Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.), Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez Cantera and businessman Todd Wilcox.