Democratic socialist Angie Nixon wins Florida Senate primary in major upset

Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), defeated former Trump impeachment witness Alex Vindman in Florida’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Aug. 18, scoring a major upset over the establishment favorite. 

Nixon, a Jacksonville progressive and former union organizer, won with about 56% of the vote to Vindman’s roughly 44%, according to AP News. The victory came despite a significant fundraising disadvantage: Nixon raised less than $1 million, while Vindman raised more than $16 million. 

Nixon will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in November to complete the remainder of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Senate term, which runs through January 2029. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Moody to the seat after Rubio joined the Trump administration in 2025. 

Axios described Nixon’s victory as the “biggest upset in modern Florida Democratic politics.” The result also makes Nixon the first DSA member to secure a major-party nomination for statewide office. 

The nomination gives Republicans a clear ideological contrast in a state where the GOP has spent years campaigning against socialism. Election analysts continue to favor Moody in the general election, with the Cook Political Report rating the race “Solid Republican.” 

Nixon campaigned on a sweeping left-wing platform that includes Medicare for All, free child care, tuition-free public college, student debt cancellation, a national rent freeze, paid family and sick leave, and a federal jobs program. She has also called for increasing the federal minimum wage and removing private money from federal elections, according to her campaign website. 

On foreign policy, Nixon supports ending the war with Iran and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank. Her campaign also called for restricting the use of artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems such as Flock Safety cameras.

Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who testified during Trump’s first impeachment proceedings, positioned himself as the party’s more moderate candidate. His platform focused on affordability, government corruption, national security, and a more modest increase in the federal minimum wage. He also expressed strong support for Israel while criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Following his defeat, Vindman congratulated Nixon and pledged to support her against Moody. 

“Rep. Nixon ran a strong campaign,” Vindman wrote on X. “I will be standing by her side in the fight against Ashley Moody. I hope you’ll join me.”

Nixon was not endorsed by the national DSA organization, but she received backing from several progressives, including Democratic Reps. Maxwell Frost of Florida, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

Her victory follows recent primary wins by several progressive candidates nationwide, including Abdul El-Sayed, who secured Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, and Peggy Flanagan, who won Minnesota’s Democratic Senate primary. DSA member Francesca Hong, however, narrowly lost Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary by fewer than 3,000 votes.