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GOP Candidate Switches Districts, To Run Against Grayson
Eric Kleefeld | October 19, 2009, 6:14PM
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FL-08 Candidate Ken Miller (R)
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Ken Miller, a Republican House candidate who had been running against freshman Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL), has announced that he's switching out of that race -- and will instead be seeking the GOP nomination in an adjacent district, to go up against none other than Rep. Alan Grayson.
Miller said that he made his decision after the previous top GOP prospect for the Grayson race, former state Sen. Dan Webster, opted against running. "I have tremendous respect for Dan Webster and when he announced that he would not run against Alan Grayson, I decided that I could not let Grayson go without a credible challenge," Miller said in a statement, also adding: "My decision was influenced by Grayson's incendiary and disingenuous comments relative to Republican plans for healthcare reform."
The Orlando Sentinel speculates that Miller's decision might have also been influenced by the GOP rallying around two other candidates in the Kosmas race, Winter Park Commissioner Karen Diebel and state Rep. Sandy Adams, and also that the lack of a big-name candidate in Grayson's district made the nomination there much more inviting for Miller, a political unknown.
Either way, Grayson now has another opponent, in addition to real estate developer Armando Gutierrez Jr.
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CVille Dem
October 19, 2009 6:33 PM
If Grayson loses I'll eat my hat.
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Chris
October 19, 2009 11:12 PM in reply to CVille Dem
I'm sending Grayson a check today.
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JimmyBobby
October 19, 2009 6:53 PM
A fool's errand. Grayson is aweson.
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BrendanM
October 19, 2009 7:05 PM
Grayson seems intent on making himself as vulnerable as possible. While I wouldn't dream of defending the timidity and, often, outright cowardice of much of the Democratic leadership, sometimes a little tact and restraint isn't a bad thing.
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CVille Dem
October 19, 2009 7:55 PM in reply to BrendanM
Really? I think we've had way too much tact and restraint. Grayson doesn't suffer fools or liars. I know, I know -- a unique characteristic in a pol, but it has quite an appeal. Why do you think he is making himself vulnerable?
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JEP07
October 19, 2009 11:51 PM in reply to CVille Dem
Agree 100% CVille. Grayson is the tip of a big old truth iceberg, and any Florida Republican who thinks he can beat him may as well be nicknamed "Titanic".
That other 90% of public indignation beneath those waters will just sink anything that runs against it.
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lousgirl84
October 20, 2009 10:31 AM in reply to JEP07
I have already contributed money to him and will continue to do so to ensure he wins. We need to encourage people like Grayson. I saw him on Rachel last night and you gotta like the guy a lot!!
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EH
October 19, 2009 8:04 PM in reply to BrendanM
People like leaders more than they like carpetbaggers.
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tosh
October 19, 2009 7:53 PM
Residency?
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CVille Dem
October 19, 2009 8:03 PM in reply to tosh
Bitch-slap!!!!!!!!! He's a REPUBLICAN! Remember? Ann Coulter can vote wherever she wants to in Florida [voter fraud] and never face a judge. So why can't this dude run in any district he wants to? Residency -- shmesidency!
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CityGuy
October 19, 2009 9:39 PM in reply to CVille Dem
Yes IOKIYAR.
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Kuyleh
October 19, 2009 11:08 PM
"My decision was influenced by Grayson's incendiary and disingenuous comments relative to Republican plans for healthcare reform."
The hypocrisy leaves me wordless. It shouldn't by now, but it still does.
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JEP07
October 19, 2009 11:55 PM in reply to Kuyleh
"relative to Republican plans for healthcare reform."
WHAT plans? SO far, all we have heard and seen is "NO".
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Kuyleh
October 20, 2009 12:17 AM in reply to JEP07
I was more thinking of the relentless attacking of anything not them, but good point.
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MNPundit
October 20, 2009 1:52 AM
Ah, it's time at last. Will the OpenLeft philosophy prevail? I look forward to seeing the result. (Speaking only for me.)
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Richard63104
October 20, 2009 7:18 AM
Orlando, Florida, enthusiastically welcomes people from all over our great nation, and indeed, from all over the world. And in the case of the Republican gentleman from Coral Gables, from all over the Universe, including those dimensions predicted in Stephen Hawkings most improbable thought-experiments. Welcome, artificial life form, or "GOP enthusiast!" Welcome to Orlando! Enjoy our souvenir shops. Stay in our charming hotels. Welcome.
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DickTater
October 20, 2009 8:48 AM
incendiary comments about Republican Healthcare proposals. When asked if the Republicans did have a healthcare proposal, he said he was not quite up to speed but to the best of his understanding it does contain some version of "try hard not to get sick, but if you do get sick, you might want to think of dying alone without aid huddled in your downstairs closet, and hurry-up about it."
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fsudirectory
October 20, 2009 9:11 AM
So is he going to get a house and somehow say he cares about the people of the district hes running for when hes not even from it??
Grayson will have a field day with this.
"The republicans couldnt find someone in our district to represent them, so they pulled someone from another district, which has never looked into, much less cared about the people of Orlando. Who do you trust to continue to fight for Orlando and stand up when others in congress dont, me or someone that has never lived a day here"
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fuddmain
October 20, 2009 1:49 PM in reply to fsudirectory
Actually, that's not likely to work. Miller is from Winter Park, which is essentially a suburb of Orlando. He probably won't have to move more than few miles to get into Grayson's district. No one around here will much care.
Also, I wouldn't say Grayson will have an easy reelection. Let's not forget that he won a close one against Ric Keller. Keller is a scumbag who was kept in Congress for some 4 terms by this district.
I plan to do what I can to help Grayson. We need a Dem with spine.
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fsudirectory
October 20, 2009 2:09 PM in reply to fuddmain
Well - lets hope everything you and the rest of the people up there do can get him re-elected.
My friend is helping run Armando Gutierrez Jr's campaign, told him GL but didnt think that kid was gonna take down Grayson
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