ORLANDO, Fla. – U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Orlando) announced Thursday morning on Local 6 that he is running for a Florida U.S. Senate seat that will be vacated by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), who is running for president.
WEB EXTRA: Local 6 full interview with Alan Grayson
"I'm running for Senate," Grayson told News4Jax sister station Local 6's Mike Holfeld.
Grayson said one of his major platforms will be providing medical benefits for everyone.
Grayson's announcement was blasted by attorney John Morgan, a major Democratic donor, who called it "political suicide."
"I think Morgan should lay off the scotch, at least until noon," Grayson said of Morgan's reaction.
The announcement comes two days after a Democratic Party activist said she wants an ethics investigation into Grayson. St. Lucie County Democratic Party chairwoman Celeste Bush filed a complaint Tuesday with the Office of Congressional Ethics, accusing Grayson of failing to properly disclose details of three hedge funds, including their investors and his income from them.
Grayson has an estimated net worth of $26 million, according to Roll Call.
Grayson is well known for making brash statements, comparing the tea party to the KKK and saying that the GOP wants "Americans to die quickly if they get sick" after Republicans opposed President Obama's health care plan.
Grayson could end up running in a primary election against fellow Democrat Patrick Murphy, also a U.S. representative from Florida.
"I look forward to a clean, honest discussion of the issues in this primary," Murphy said in a statement. "I have built a strong record of working together to get things done, while remaining true to core Democratic principles like protecting Social Security and Medicare, fighting for a woman's right to choose, and strengthening the middle class. I look forward to sharing that record with Floridians across the state."
Grayson will have to vacate his 9th District seat in order to run for the Senate.
Grayson served Florida's 8th Congressional District from 2009 to 2011, but he was defeated in his 2010 re-election bid by Republican Daniel Webster. Grayson was elected in 2012 to the House, defeating Republican Todd Long. Two years later, he defeated Republican challenger Carol Platt to win re-election.
In April, Grayson agreed to an annulment of his 24-year marriage to Lolita Grayson.