Outspoken freshman Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) announced Tuesday that he raised $803,000 in the first three months of the year for his re-election bid.

That impressive haul is only slightly lower than the $861,000 he raised during the fourth quarter of 2009, when he became a progressive hero after taking to the House floor to declare that the Republican plan for addressing the nation’s health care issues was “don’t get sick” and if you get sick “die quickly.”

Grayson’s fundraising this quarter was significantly boosted by an online “money bomb” event in late march that raised $500,000, according to his announcement Tuesday.

But as Grayson has worked to take advantage of his heightened political profile so, too, have Republicans, who believe his liberal views are largely out of touch with voters in his Orlando-area swing district.

Grayson has become a top target of national Republicans this cycle. After several recruiting misses, the National Republican Congressional Committee talked Orlando businessman Bruce O’Donoghue into taking on Grayson. But O’Donoghue faces a crowded primary field that includes state Rep. Kurt Kelly, attorney and conservative activist Todd Long, as well as several others.