ORANGE, OSCEOLA, POLK COUNTIES, Florida (March 4, 2014): Nick Ruiz (D-FL), who is in a Democratic primary election versus Alan Grayson (D-FL) on August 26, 2014, recently invited Mr. Grayson to a televised Democratic Congressional Primary debate forum in the first week of June 2014. It was tentatively suggested that the event be held at the University of Central Florida and Valencia College at the UCF/VC Osceola campus in Florida’s Congressional District 9.
After multiple attempts to reach Rep. Grayson and his staff, no response to date has been received to the debate invitation sent by the Ruiz campaign. The Grayson campaign has been unresponsive.
Dr. Ruiz said: “Rep. Grayson may find such a ruse amusing, but the people of the district find it inconsiderate. Everyone expects and deserves communicative reciprocity from an elected representative. Unsurprisingly, many expect he will hunker down behind a large pile of money, essentially hiding from the Democratic Primary challenge I bring from the people of FL-9. Alas, there will be no hiding on primary election day, August 26, 2014.”
Though the 2014 Florida primary election is in late summer, vote by mail starts earlier, in the weeks before, as early as late July 2014.
Ruiz also said: “Rep. Grayson’s attitude displays the sort of megalomania we’ve all come to despise from too many of the 535 members of this Congress; and especially Alan Grayson himself, the 21st richest member of Congress. Didn’t he express his concerns when Dan Webster refused a debate conversation with him in the 2010 election? The voters have a right to such a debate forum in every election, though Rep. Grayson here denies them that right. His colleagues, and the nation find his conduct to be a habitual disappointment, and I would have to agree.”
Florida District 9 was created after the 2012 redistricting process and includes Osceola, South Orange and Northeastern Polk counties. It is a diverse district, where Hispanics comprise 41.4% of the voting age population, and African-Americans comprise 12.4% of the voting age population. Subsequently, FL-9 is considered a majority-minority district, with a 53.8% minority voting age population