Alan Grayson vs Patrick Murphy-- It's Not Even Close

Rich, spoiled Republican-masquerading-as-a-Democrat Patrick Murphy turned 33 today. His wealthy Republican daddy bought the ne'er-do-well Patrick a political career. One of America's least effective members of Congress is also on the take. In honor of his birthday, we ran a little twitter poll asking people if they knew how much money the banksters had given Murphy's Senate campaign so far. Well, this week he crossed the one million dollar mark. He's the only non-incumbent Senate candidate from either party the banksters deemed worth $1,000,000. 90% of those who took the poll knew that.

No one guessed the Financial Sector only gave Murphy $68,025. That figure represents the kind of small grassroots contributions from individuals who work inside the industry, from bank tells to insurance agents. The figure is actually how much the entire Financial Sector has contributed to Grayson's campaign this cycle-- $1,054,300 for the bribe-taking Schumercrat, Patrick Murphy, and $68,025 for progressive warrior Alan Grayson. We didn't pull the other numbers out of a tree either. $532,015 is the amount the banksters have given another of their favorite candidates, crooked Indiana congressman Todd Young. Like Murphy he's a pro-Wall Street congressman running for an open Senate seat and he got the most from Wall Street of any non-incumbent Republican Senate candidate, a bit better than half of what fake-Democrat Patrick Murphy got. The other big priority for the banksters this cycle is to get their boy Chris Van Hollen into the open Maryland seat. As ranking member of the House Budget Committee and as the most failed DCCC chairman in history-- he lost 68 seats-- he has proven his worth to the banksters. And that's where the $505,828 comes from; that's how much the Financial Sector gave Van Hollen so far this cycle in his desperate battle to beat progressive champion Donna Edwards.

Back to the birthday boy. Schumer has been carrying on like a madman-- lying to the media, threatening donors, trying to bully progressive organizations in his unrelenting war against Alan Grayson. All the lies you read about Grayson in the media originate in Little Chucky Schmucky's office. Despite all the flak, yesterday two more respected and effective progressive organizations, PCCC and DFA joined the Florida Progressive Caucus, Blue America, PDA and People for the American Way in endorsing Grayson and encouraging their members and supporters to back him against Murphy (and Schumer), prompting Grayson to say "I’m honored that the progressives who do the work, and represent the backbone and conscience of the Democratic Party, are standing firmly in my corner. Together, we will take back the Senate, and make its progressive base stronger than ever."

PCCC leaders Adam Green and Stephanie Taylor, in announcing their organization's endorsement, pointed out that "If you liked bold progressive Alan Grayson in the U.S. House, you'll love him in the U.S. Senate. You'll especially love it as he wins an open Republican seat (the one Marco Rubio decided to vacate) and helps Democrats re-take the Senate majority! Every step of the way-- from Wall Street reform to expanding Social Security to being a national leader for Medicare expansion-- Alan Grayson has stood with progressives as one of our boldest and most reliable allies. That's why we are proud to endorse him today, along with our allies at Democracy for America. We need Alan Grayson to join Elizabeth Warren in the U.S. Senate."

Keeping it positive, they didn't mention that the original Democratic primary co-sponsor of the payday lender bill Debbie Wasserman Schultz is backing, which has upset so many progressives, was Patrick Murphy-- earning some of that $1,054,300 from his Wall Street financiers. The closest they came was to mention that "Alan is leading in the polls for U.S. Senate in Florida, but needs to defeat the establishment-backed candidate in the August primary first. He is the only candidate in the race who has consistently said NO to cutting Social Security and YES to expanding Social Security benefits. He is the only candidate who favors strong Wall Street reform and rejects campaign cash from Goldman Sachs and other big banks. Alan is a national leader for expanding Medicare. You'd be able to buy insurance through Medicare instead of being at the mercy of for-profit insurance companies. And his Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act would eliminate the arbitrary exclusion from Medicare coverage of eyeglasses, eye exams, hearing aids, hearing exams, and dental care. Reporter Dave Weigel wrote a piece declaring 'Alan Grayson is now the most effective member of the House' because of the number of bills he has managed to convince Republicans to pass-- including working with Ron Paul to pass a bill auditing the fed, which uncovered trillions in secret Wall Street bailouts... Imagine a U.S. Senate with Elizabeth Warren, Al Franken, Russ Feingold, Donna Edwards, and Alan Grayson. It can happen."

Democracy For America polled their members in Florida and they decided to endorse Grayson as well. Jim Dean and Charles Chamberlain, the organizations chairman and executive director, said "Whether he was taking on the GOP's 'die quickly' health care plan or standing up to his own party's willingness to consider Social Security cuts, Alan Grayson has been a steadfast champion for populist progressive priorities and one of the fiercest allies grassroots Democrats have in Washington D.C. That's why Democracy for America and the Progressive Campaign Change Committee are teaming up today to endorse Alan Grayson. Having a fighter like Alan Grayson in the U.S. Senate would be nothing short of game-changing for our country and Florida's struggling working families. And, let's be honest, it would be Marco Rubio's worst nightmare to know that his Florida Senate seat will be filled by a bold progressive champion like Alan Grayson."

Alan has his own Blue America thermometer. Please give it a tap and give his grassroots campaign a boost. More than anyone else I know in Congress, this man is fighting for us. When Chuck Schumer makes a deal with the Republicans to compromise away Social Security benefits, it is Alan Grayson we'll be able to count on to fight him and them-- and fight for real... along with Bernie, Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Donna Edwards... and precious few others.