For months, it was unclear whether Democratic Florida Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Alan Grayson would back Hillary Clinton or Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for president.
After all, he had spoken highly of and indicated support for both in the past.
Ultimately, he asked the country's voters how they wanted Grayson to cast his super delegate vote.
Sanders won overwhelmingly, defeating Clinton 84-16 percent.
In a media release touting the endorsement, Grayson commended Sanders' progressive values and noted that the two share an interest in fighting the status quo and unfair economic disparity.
“I’ve devoted my political life to bringing the virtues of justice, equality, and peace to as many people as possible, and Bernie’s presidential campaign has drawn millions of people into a movement that’s grounded in those same shared ideals,” Grayson said. “Bernie has defied The Establishment and monied classes who control our rigged political system. That’s why millions of people see that the only way to break this oligarchy is to put Bernie Sanders in the White House. He can bring about the revolutionary change that will reverse income inequality, provide healthcare for all, open the door to debt-free college and protect our environment.”
Grayson himself is in a tough primary; he faces Republican-turned-Democrat Patrick Murphy, also a Congressman, in the primary for the U.S. Senate seat Marco Rubio is vacating in order to run for president.
Known for his no-holds-barred style, Grayson is popular among progressive Democrats for championing causes aimed at leveling the playing field.
Sanders, who shares his views on many issues (and similarly has strong appeal among the party's progressive base), suffered an incredible loss Saturday in the South Carolina primary, in which Clinton defeated him 73-26 percent. And despite overwhelming support in surveys like the one Grayson's campaign held, he is not polling well in Florida.
The outcome of Super Tuesday, when over a dozen states will weigh in, will serve as a key indicator of how his race against Clinton will turn out.
This article appears in Feb 25 – Mar 2, 2016.