MEET THE CANDIDATES: Alan Grayson, Florida Senate District 15

Age: 67

Residence: Orlando

Family: Wife, Dr. Dena Grayson. Children Skye, Star, Sage, Storm and Stone

Education: B.A. Harvard College (high honors) 1975; J.D. Harvard Law School (honors) 1983; M.P.P. Harvard School of Government 1983; passed coursework and general exams (but no dissertation) toward Ph.D. Harvard School of Arts and Sciences (Government) 1983

Profession: Attorney

Qualifications: Named Attorney of the Year by Taxpayers Against Fraud. Testified four times to Congress regarding contractor fraud in Iraq.  Served in Congress, representing Orlando, 2009-2011 and 2013-2017. First Democrat elected to represent downtown Orlando since 1974. 

Why are you running for Florida State Senate District 15?  

To make life better for everyone in the district.

Discuss your past experiences and explain how they make you the most qualified candidate for this position.  

To give some specific examples, the Grayson Mandatory Mediation Program cut foreclosures in Orlando in half and was so successful that the Florida Supreme Court adopted it statewide.  Grayson legislation prevented the expiration of the federal income tax deduction for Florida sales taxes. In my first year in office, I brought home an additional $100+ million in federal competitive grants, the kind that you have to fight for. I also brought home $1+ billion in federal funds for our roads, approximately $800 million for our VA hospital (funded, built and opened), approximately $600 million for building and operating Sunrail Phase II, an extra $150 million for school construction and special needs education, a 50% increase in bilingual housing counseling, $30+ million for local healthcare and health research, bridges and water/sewer construction, etc.

Discuss Geraldine Thompson’s legacy as a public servant in Central Florida.  

Geraldine Thompson’s primary legacy is to keep alive and expand on the spirit and tradition of the Civil Rights Movement, and the justice and equality that it embodies. I worked closely with her during my Congressional service. Some tangible examples of this are our making zero-interest and zero-down-payment mortgages available in the African-American community, my teaching in her Civil Rights course, my contributing art to her African-American Heritage museum, our arranging for a federal grant to her museum, and so on. 

What are the values and morals that have guided your life, and how will you use them as District 15 senator?  

I believe the job of everyone in Government is to ensure each of us can be all that we can be, unchained by poor education, poor health, poverty, discrimination or any other limitation we impose on each other or we can alleviate. I believe in the common good, common sense, justice, equality, respect for all and human decency. The only way to make everyone better off is to make everyone better off – no exceptions.

What are the key differences between you and your opponents? 

I get good things done and to be blunt, my opponents have let us down. For instance, Randolph Bracy passed eight laws in 10 years, and LaVon Bracy has passed six laws in three years, none of which I regard as substantial. In my last four years in Congress, I passed 121 laws, many of which were of national significance. I note that the Republicans were in charge of the House during that entire period, and I’m a Democrat.

What are the three most pressing issues facing District 15 today?  

The high cost of keeping a roof over your head (including home insurance), poor public services, and unfair taxes and tolls.

This district covers a large area in Central Florida with unique needs and challenges. How do you represent the needs of all District 15 constituents? 

The same way that I did when I represented the same constituency in Congress. I will concentrate, again, on bringing large amounts of money and benefits to the district, improving public services, helping those who are most in need individually, and collectively and cutting unfair taxes and tolls.

Share how you plan to work with Gov. Ron DeSantis and your Republican colleagues across the aisle for the benefit of all Floridians.  

Again, the same way that I did when I represented the same constituency in Congress.  In my first term, I passed the only significant bipartisan legislation during those two years, the Grayson-Paul “Audit the Fed” Amendment, which exposed $23 trillion in bailouts. As noted, in my last two terms, I passed more legislation than any other member of Congress – by a wide margin – even though I was a Democrat and the Republicans were in charge. My solutions appeal to both Democrats and Republicans — because they are solutions.

How will you work with local county and city governments to ensure their voices are being heard at the state level?  

Among other things, I will consistently stand against preemption of local laws. For instance, I organized a vote in Orange County in favor of paid sick leave, only to see that successful initiative overturned by the State Legislature by preemption. I will fight for our local liberation from Tallahassee dictates and for local laws that are subject to our local democratic process.