Michael Grimm, a former New York Republican congressman and tax felon, is gunning for a congressional seat in the 11th District while the party solidifies behind a different candidate less likely to drag down their chances to flip a vulnerable seat.

According to a Thursday Politico report, Grimm doesn’t care. “I’m 90 percent of the way there to run,” he said. Prominent GOP figures are backing state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R).

Though Grimm dismisses his conviction and time served as a “witch hunt,” he did plead guilty to hiding over $900,000 in income and of hiring employees for his restaurant “off the books.”

“The cloud is gone. It’s over; it’s in the past,” he told Politico. “I’ve had a lot of colleagues call me and tell me they’d love to have me back.