Former congressman Michael Grimm's prison sentence for tax fraud may not have ended his political career after all. Days after NY1 reported that Grimm will run again for his old seat, at least some voters is his Staten Island district are open to the idea of a comeback. Our Amanda Farinacci filed the following report:

The South Beach boardwalk attracts old-timers who sit at tables and benches, eating, laughing, and talking about life.

Tuesday, they were talking about the political comeback of embattled former Congressman Michael Grimm.

"He deserves a second chance," one man at the boardwalk said.

A second chance after pleading guilty to tax fraud, surrendering his congressional seat, and serving seven months in prison for hiding $1 million in receipts from a restaurant that he once owned.

That record might doom some comebacks, but Grimm has always been popular on Staten Island.

NY1 found voters of two minds about his return, with many open to the idea.

"I think he has a lot of nerve that he would even consider," one Staten Island woman said. "But then there's people telling him he could do it. I mean, he has supporters."

"Just go for it, because who are we to judge?" one man said. "If we were in the same situation, or his shoes, we would do the same damned thing, excuse the language."

For weeks, Grimm has been making all the moves of a candidate-in-waiting: Creating a new Twitter account, posting opinions and campaign-style photos, and offering himself up for interviews.

On Saturday, NY1 reported that Grimm had decided to take the plunge and announce his candidacy Oct. 1 in New Dorp, setting up a primary battle against his successor, Republican Dan Donovan.

"Between two of them? They are good. I still haven't decided," one Staten Island man said at the boardwalk. "But I welcome any challenge he can give to Donovan, because I like both of them."

The decision is easier for the island's Republican Party. All of the borough's Republican elected officials have signed a pledge to support Donovan.

That means Grimm will have to overcome the Republican machine and skeptics.

"The background that he has — how could you trust somebody like that again?" said a woman at the boardwalk.

Grimm argues that he was the victim of a politically-motivated witch hunt by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Six Democrats are said to be eyeing the seat as well. It's a race that promises to give voters plenty of choices in next year's primary.