WASHINGTON — It is one of the biggest races this primary season -- Florida’s 9th Congressional District.
- Soto, Grayson fight for 9th Congressional District seat
- Congressional District 9 is considered Democratic-leaning
- Decision 2018 Congressional Debate Wednesday on Spectrum News
Congressman Darren Soto and former Congressman Alan Grayson will face off in a Decision 2018 Congressional Debate on Spectrum News Wednesday, less than a month until the primary contest.
Both Democrats are vying for the seat that covers all of Osceola County and parts of Orange and Polk counties as well.
Forty-year-old Darren Soto is wrapping up his first term in Congress after four years in the Florida Senate and five years in the state House.
Soto is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and continues to highlight issues that impact the Hispanic community.
“We expressed our extreme disappointment with the separation of families policy," Rep. Soto (D) Florida said in an interview with Spectrum News.
Once considered a moderate Democrat during his time as a state representative, Congressman Soto is now receiving endorsements from liberal groups, former Vice President Joe Biden and every Democratic member of Congress from Florida.
Sixty-year-old Alan Grayson is trying to win back his old seat. He is known as one of the most outspoken members of Congress when he served from 2009 to 2011 and 2013 to 2015.
Grayson rose to national prominence in 2009 during a speech on the House floor.
“The Republican healthcare plan is this -- die quickly. That’s right. The Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick," Grayson said, pointing to a poster in the House Chamber.
Grayson ran for U.S. Senate in 2016, but lost in the Democratic primary. Now, he says he’s ready to make a comeback and take on President Trump.
“I am in favor of impeaching Donald Trump," Grayson said in an interview on Spectrum News's Political Connections. "I think the evidence is clear that he committed both collusion and obstruction of justice. I’m ready to say it, and I’m ready to do it.”
This topic is how the two candidates differ – Rep. Soto says he’s not ready to call for President Trump’s impeachment quite yet.
“We really need to let the Russian campaign investigation continue to go forward," Rep. Soto said.
Florida is a closed primary state, which means only voters registered with the Democratic Party will be able to vote in this specific primary contest on Aug. 28.
The winner will take on Republican Wayne Liebnitzky in the November election.
Congressional District 9 is considered a Democratic-leaning seat. With Democrats making up almost 40 percent of voters compared with about 27 percent for Republicans.