State senator Darren Soto announced Thursday he is running for the congressional seat left vacated by Rep. Alan Grayson along with three other Democrats.
Soto announced his candidacy for the 9th congressional district at the Orange County courthouse. The congressional district was left vacant last week when Grayson launched his campaign bid for U.S. senate.
"I began this journey over eight years ago, for two key reasons: to help people and to bring humility to elected office," Soto said.
The district encompasses southeast Orange and the majority of Osceola County. The district also has a higher population of Hispanic voters.
Soto, who is of Puerto Rican descent, has served in the State Legislature for eight years. He has served in the Florida House since April 2007 and was elected to the Florida Senate in 2012. Soto’s senate district overlaps the congressional district.
Although, the way the district is drawn might be affected because of a recent Florida Supreme Court ruling.
Last week, Florida’s Supreme Court rejected the state’s congressional districts as gerrymandered ordering 8 congressional districts to be redrawn, while likely affecting 14 districts that border them.
Two republicans are also vying for Grayson's seat. Soto will be running for the 9th congressional district in the primary against Susannah Randolph, Valerie Crabtree and Ricardo Rangel.