KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Democrat Alan Grayson, three months away from the election that will determine if he returns to Congress, is spending more money on advertisements ahead of next week's Republican primary than all four Republicans combined.
John Quinones, the Republican front runner in both fund-raising and previous electoral success within the district, said he thinks he knows why: Grayson does not want to oppose him in November.
And mailers, radio and television ads connected to Grayson all attack Quinones, painting him as a tax-raiser – red meat for Republican primary voters.
Grayson's campaign spokesman declined to say how much it is spending on the anti-Quinones effort, but newspapers' estimates range between $100,000 and $300,000.
"I believe he doesn't want to face my conservative record," Quinones told Local 6. He said that record is "100 percent pro life, of holding the line on taxes, on balancing the budget, of being endorsed by the NRA."
But Quinones, an Osceola County commissioner and former state legislator, has voted over nearly a decade in public office to increase or create fees or tax rates, in some cases along with other conservative Republicans.
Quinones is also Puerto Rican, which can be a negative among some of the overwhelmingly older, white electorate in the Republican primary.
Based on previous turnouts, fewer than 1,000 Hispanic Republicans may vote in Osceola County next week, compared to 60,000 that could turn out in the district in November. More than 40 percent of voters in the newly created Democratic-leaning district are Hispanic. It is 42 percent Democratic and 27 percent Republican.
Asked whether ethnic politics were in play, as well, Quinones said, "You have to ask him … I know the needs of this district, I represented the majority of this district and he doesn't want to face that in the general election."
Grayson declined to comment, but his spokesman said: "There is no rule that says we have to wait until after the primary to start exposing the record of the opponents. We're going after John Quinones (and other Republicans) in different ways, and we don't care who we beat."
While Grayson has sent out emails and press releases criticizing other Republicans in the primary, they cost next to nothing to distribute.