ORANGE, OSCEOLA, POLK COUNTIES, Florida (February 27, 2014): Nick Ruiz (D-FL), who is in a Democratic primary election versus Alan Grayson (D-FL) on August 26, 2014, today invited Mr. Grayson to a televised Democratic Congressional Primary debate forum in the first week of June 2014 hosted by the University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College at the UCF/VCC Osceola campus in Florida’s Congressional District 9.
Dr. Ruiz said: “I hope that the University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College will be so gracious as to help sponsor this very important public engagement for the benefit of the students, voters and the community. Like recent debate forums at St. Petersburg College for the FL-13 race, and other political debates sponsored by the League of Women Voters, or the Space Coast Tiger Bay Club, debate forums serve a vital function in the protection and promotion of democracy and good government. My campaign will make every effort to work with UCF, VCC and other parties to provide such an important public forum for the FL-9 Democratic Primary election on 8/26/14.”
Florida District 9 was created after the 2012 redistricting process and includes Osceola, South Orange and Northeastern Polk counties. It is a diverse district, where Hispanics comprise 41.4% of the voting age population, and African-Americans comprise 12.4% of the voting age population. Subsequently, FL-9 is considered a majority-minority district, with a 53.8% minority voting age population.