Coalition holds bipartisan crowdsourced Florida Senate debate

Reps. David Jolly (R-Fla.) and Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) agreed to participate in a bipartisan debate ahead of their respective primaries as they both seek the open Florida Senate seat.

{mosads}The Open Debate Coalition, which includes liberal, conservative and Silicon Valley groups, will sponsor the debate next Monday in Orlando, inviting candidates who have averaged 15 percent in public surveys conducted this year. That narrowed the field to Jolly, Grayson and Grayson’s main primary opponent, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.), who, according to Grayson’s campaign, declined to participate.

The debate is crowdsourcing questions from members of the public until Monday afternoon. The public will vote on which of the submitted questions should be asked. 

Both candidates praised the debate model and the opportunity to tout the issues most important to them. 

“This is a debate over the future of Florida, officiated by the voters, and intended to present two contrasting visions for the future of the country,” Jolly said in a statement. 

Grayson said in a statement, “Voters deserve to have their questions heard, and know exactly where each of us, and the parties, stand on the issues. This debate will make sure as many people as possible have access to that vital information.” 

On the Democratic side, Grayson is in a heated primary battle with Murphy. 

The party’s establishment has rallied behind Murphy including endorsements from President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Grayson has scored endorsements from key progressive groups including Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. 

Grayson has come under fire over his hedge fund, which prompted Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) earlier this year to call on the liberal firebrand to drop out of the race. 

Earlier this month, the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) issued a report that says there is “substantial reason to believe” that Grayson violated House ethics rules and federal law by managing a hedge fund while serving as a member of Congress. 

Following the report, Murphy said Grayson isn’t qualified to hold public office, but the liberal firebrand has denied any wrongdoing and accused Murphy of fueling the allegations to hurt his Senate bid. 

Murphy has significantly outpaced Grayson in fundraising, but a Public Policy Polling survey from March found Grayson leading Murphy by double digits, though nearly half of voters are undecided. But more recent polls show Murphy edging out Grayson.

For Republicans, Jolly is running in a crowded GOP field that includes Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, and businessmen Carlos Beruff and Todd Wilcox. 

In that same PPP survey, Jolly leads his Republican opponents, but nearly half of voters are undecided.

Florida’s Senate primary is Aug. 30.