Democratic socialist defeats Vindman to take on Moody for Florida Senate
The Hill · C · trust 48/100
Comments: by Caroline Vakil - 08/18/26 8:03 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Caroline Vakil - 08/18/26 8:03 PM ET Comments: Link copied NOW PLAYING Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon (D), a democratic socialist, is poised to deliver an unexpected upset and defeat President Trump whistleblower Alex Vindman in the Democratic contest for Florida Senate, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).
Vindman, who became a star witness during Trump’s first impeachment trial, and Nixon were the only two Democrats running for the party’s nod for the Florida Senate seat currently held by Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.).
Nixon’s victory is a boon for the Democratic Socialists of America , which she told Tampa Bay Times in July she joined recently. She’s also a member of the progressive Working Families Party.
The two Democrats were vying to serve the last two years of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s term, which is up in 2028. Whoever wins the November election will still need to run again in 2028 if they want to serve the full six-year term.
Moody, a former Florida attorney general tapped by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to fill Rubio’s seat in 2025, fended off three longshot challengers for the GOP nod. She easily won her GOP primary Tuesday.
Vindman received endorsements from key Democrats like Sens. Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Jack Reed (R.I.) and Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) and Florida state Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman.
Meanwhile, Nixon, who was first elected to the Florida state House in 2020, received endorsements from progressives like Democratic Reps. Maxwell Frost (Fla.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.).
Vindman also leaned into his history of standing up to Trump during his first impeachment, testifying before Congress that the president had pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former President Biden. Trump has defended himself, calling it a “perfect” call, and the Senate ultimately acquitted him.
Vindman was expected to clinch the Democratic nomination, with polling from DDHQ largely assuming a Moody-Vindman match-up.
The last time Florida elected a Democrat to the Senate was in 2012 when former Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) won his third term.
The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Moody’s seat as “solid Republican.”
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