@MichaelAuslen
Two liberal backers of U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson's Senate campaign withdrew their endorsements Tuesday.
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy for America both cut ties with the Orlando Democrat, citing a Politico report claiming Grayson's ex-wife reported domestic violence to police on four occasions.
"After today’s revelations of years of police reports about allegations of domestic abuse involving Alan Grayson, we are no longer willing to support and are formally withdrawing our endorsement of him in the race for U.S. Senate," leaders with PCCC and DFA said in a joint statement.
The groups also called on Grayson to donate their members' campaign contributions to a domestic violence charity in Orlando.
Grayson could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Allegations of domestic violence surrounding Grayson are not new. He and his ex-wife, Lolita Grayson, both claimed to be victims of abuse as part of a bitter divorce proceeding that ended last year in an annullment.
In 2014, the Orange County Sheriff's office declined to pursue domestic violence charges against Grayson, saying there wasn't enough evidence that a crime had even taken place, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
It appears PCCC and DFA will not endorse Grayson's chief opponent in the Aug. 30 Democratic primary Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter. The groups' statement says "progressives have no great options in the Florida race for Senate."
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