Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), the fiery liberal best known for his frequent insults against the Republicans, has just attracted another GOP opponent, with state Rep. Kurt Kelly getting into the race this morning.
Republicans have had some problems finding a candidate to run against a high-profile liberal in what is very much a swing seat, with previous top prospects ultimately deciding not to run. One possible factor could be the need to raise a lot of money against Grayson, who self-financed with $2.6 million of his own money in 2008, and on top of his own wealth has been able to raise quite a bit of money from liberals across the country.
The only significant candidate so far has been real estate developer Armando Gutierrez, who moved from Miami to Orlando just to run against Grayson and is opposed by many in the GOP. With Kelly, however, Republicans could finally have what they want — a credible candidate from the local area.
The St. Petersburg Times points out that Kelly comes in with high name recognition in Ocala, but most of the district is in Orlando — so he still has a lot of work to do.
