Former Democrat Florida Rep. Alan Grayson is back in politics and wants to snatch Republican incumbent Cory Mills’ seat.
Grayson announced he would be jumping into the race in Florida’s 7th Congressional District in an effort to oust Mills, according to a Florida Politics report.
Grayson first won election to Congress in 2008, representing Florida’s 8th Congressional District. After serving one term, he was unseated by a Republican challenger.
Florida Politics: Alan Grayson jumps into race for Cory Mills’ seat
Former Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson is the latest candidate to challenge Rep. Cory Mills (R) in Florida’s 7th congressional district.
(Trump +12 | 2024)https://t.co/PbkPflRQrH
— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) June 11, 2026
He returned to Capitol Hill in 2012 after winning election in Florida’s 9th Congressional District, where he served two additional terms.
He is now seeking to unseat Mills, who has been plagued by a series of controversies, ethics complaints, and attempted censures during his time in office.
Mills has faced allegations ranging from sextortion claims made by a former girlfriend to accusations that he embellished aspects of his military record. He has also drawn scrutiny over reports of financial difficulties. (RELATED: REPORT: Two GOP Lawmakers Go Head-To-Head In Push To Expel One Another)
Miss United States 2024 winner Lindsey Langston reportedly sought a restraining order alleging Mills threatened to release explicit videos of her, according to The Blaze.
Meanwhile, journalist Roger Sollenberger reported that the congressman fell behind on rent payments for a luxury Washington, D.C., penthouse.
The Florida Republican is currently the subject of two House Ethics Committee investigations, giving Democrats hope that Florida’s 7th Congressional District could become more competitive in 2026.
That scrutiny intensified after the Office of Congressional Ethics recommended further review into whether entities owned by Mills received dozens of government contracts while he served in Congress, according to Florida Politics.
In November 2025, the House Ethics Committee established an investigative subcommittee to examine allegations of fraud as well as two separate incidents involving Mills’ behavior toward women. (RELATED: Cory Mills Ethics Problems Deepen With New House Investigation)
Seeking to capitalize on Mills’ vulnerabilities is Grayson, who served three terms in Congress and built a reputation for his combative style and frequent clashes with Republicans.
Grayson often courted controversy himself, including in 2013 when he drew national criticism for comparing the Tea Party movement to the Ku Klux Klan, according to an ABC News report.
Despite his partisan reputation, he was also recognized for working across the aisle on legislative matters and passed more amendments than any other House member in 2013.
Rather than seek reelection in 2016, Grayson launched a bid for the U.S. Senate but lost the Democrat primary to Patrick Murphy. He also attempted a congressional comeback in 2018 but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Darren Soto, who ultimately succeeded him in Florida’s 9th District.
#Trump wants his ugly face on the $250 bill so that you’ll think of him every time you fill your tank with gas.https://t.co/Y4T9r8ZtFw#ThiefInChief #Clownarchy #Donorrhea #Trumpocalypse #TheDon #Dicktator
— Alan Grayson (@AlanGrayson) May 29, 2026
Since leaving Congress, Grayson has pursued several unsuccessful campaigns, including bids for the U.S. Senate, Florida’s 10th Congressional District, and multiple state Senate seats, according to Florida Politics.
He also filed to run in the 2026 special election for the U.S. Senate but failed to qualify for the ballot, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records.
While President Donald Trump carried the district by 13 points in 2024, political handicappers at the Cook Political Report moved the seat earlier this year from “Safe Republican” to “Likely Republican,” signaling a more competitive environment. (RELATED: Cory Mills Cuts Deal With Democrats To Save Ilhan Omar)
In the Aug. 18 Republican primary, Mills is set to square off against former local news anchor Ryan Elijah, Port Orange businesswoman Sarah Ulrich, and Michael Johnson, a retired Department of War program manager who has mounted multiple bids for public office.
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— Alan Grayson (@AlanGrayson) May 23, 2026
If Mills survives the Republican primary, he could face a competitive general election against Democrat Bale Dalton, a Navy veteran and former NASA chief of staff who has been highlighted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) as a top recruitment target, or Marialana Kinter, a former Navy nuclear reactor plant supervisor, or even former Congressman Grayson, who are all currently competing for the Democratic nomination.
In November 2025, the House Ethics Committee formed an investigative subcommittee to look into fraud allegations against Mills and two alleged incidents involving Mills’ conduct toward women.