Grayson Loses Seat to Webster
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
By: Euna Lhee

November 03, 2010 | WMFE - First term Democratic Alan Grayson of Orlando lost his seat Tuesday to Republican Daniel Webster. Webster is a former state senator - he won 56 percent of the vote to Grayson's 38 percent.

Congressman Alan Grayson thanks his supporters in his concession speech in downtown Orlando.

Webster thanked his supporters in a victory speech broadcast on Central Florida News 13. He said he hopes to transform Washington.

"I’m not going to Washington to change places with the Democrats,” Webster said. I want to make sure that when I get there, we change the way they do the process.

The mood was more somber at Congressman Grayson’s election night party in downtown Orlando. At a bar on Wall Street, Democrat Alan Grayson conceded defeat and comforted his supporters.

"For all of you, I understand the pain that you feel,” Grayson said. “I feel a little of it myself.”

He congratulated his opponent Daniel Webster and urged him to help people in need during his term in office. Grayson said his defeat was part of a larger national trend.

"In a year of a Republican wave or tsunami or earthquake, whatever you want to call it sweeping across the country, it should come as no surprise that we were not successful today,” Grayson said.

He also blamed his loss to low Democratic voter turnout. He said he didn’t know why Democrats came to the polls when he was elected back in 2008, but sat out this year.

Despite the loss, Grayson supporters remained hopeful and optimistic about his political future. They chanted “Grayson” and “2012” throughout the evening.

Mimi Saunders, a Grayson staffer for the past two years, said she’s not giving up the fight.

"The reality has hit,” Saunders said. “We go on until Mr. Webster takes his oath and maybe we get Grayson back in 2012 for House and the Senate.”

After the concession speech, Grayson said he doesn’t know if he’ll stay in politics.

But supporter Michelle McDonald hopes he will.

"We are not devastated because I don’t think it’s over yet. I really don’t,” McDonald said.

For now though, Grayson said he’s going to concentrate on being a good husband and father for his five children.