ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Congressman Alan Grayson and his wife, Dena talked to Channel 9’s Christopher Heath on Thursday about their weekend wedding.
Alan Grayson is running for U.S. Senate, Dena Grayson is running for his seat in the U.S. House.
The Graysons addressed questions over the timing of their wedding and her plan to run for his seat in Congress using his last name.
“Yes, it certainly has an impact on the race, but that wasn’t my motivation,” Dena Grayson said.
On her campaign website, where the banner as of Tuesday still had her maiden name, Dena Grayson touts her medical background.
But in a congressional race, experience isn't nearly as important as name recognition. Alan Grayson’s name has been on the ballots in Central Florida for a decade.
Alan Grayson has served the last four years in the House district that Dena Grayson is now running for in this election.
It also means the seat could stay in the family.
Alan Grayson is giving up the seat to run for a spot in the Senate.
"If the Senate bid doesn't work out, the seat may still be available then for you to hand back to your husband in two years?” asked Heath.
“That is certainly not the plan for me or for Alan. My motivations to run for public office are very simple, to serve my local community,” Dena Grayson said.
As for the timing of the wedding, just months away from the Democratic primary, Alan Grayson said his last marriage, which ended in a very public annulment, only recently became finalized.
Alan Grayson said now is the best time for the couple.
"We're in love and wanted to be married to each other.”