Angie Nixon, a progressive firebrand who ran an underdog campaign without any television advertising, captured the Democratic Senate nomination in Florida on Tuesday in a stunning upset.
Her victory over Alex Vindman, a candidate backed by establishment funding who raised over sixteen times more campaign money, underscores Nixon’s role in the left’s ongoing successes in Democratic primaries.
Florida had seemed insulated from recent political currents, with Republicans performing strongly in 2022 despite a generally favorable year for Democrats. Nixon’s breakthrough win and the defeats of Trump‑endorsed Republican candidates in congressional primaries hint that the state may no longer be as shielded from national trends.
Key takeaways from Tuesday night’s primaries in Florida, Alaska, Wyoming, and a special election in California include:
Limited funding? No obstacle. Grassroots momentum again drove left‑wing candidates to victory.
While money typically matters in Florida’s campaigns, the nation’s third‑largest state and home to ten TV markets, Nixon raised just $975,000 versus Vindman’s $16.3 million. She spent only $60,000 on advertising, according to AdImpact, compared with his $2.2 million.
Vindman will be questioned about his campaign’s limited outreach to voters, yet Nixon, a union organizer, expertly leveraged grassroots enthusiasm and social media to spread her message.
A final weekend effort in South Florida, a Democratic stronghold amid broader Republican trends, paid off: Nixon, a Jacksonville native, defeated Vindman in both Miami‑Dade, the state’s largest county, and neighboring Broward, where he resides.
Democratic enthusiasm after a long lull is resurging — will it be sufficient for Ms. Nixon?
Some of Florida’s most notable Democratic victories in the past two decades involved Black progressives such as Barack Obama, who won the state twice, and Andrew Gillum, the former Tallahassee mayor who narrowly lost the 2018 governor’s race. Nixon will likely study the coalitions they assembled and exploit the momentum that drove her own win.
Unlike Obama or Gillum, who entered their general elections with limited name recognition, minimal campaign infrastructure, and modest financing, Nixon will need to overcome similar constraints to reach Florida’s vast and diverse electorate.
The impact of labeling herself a democratic socialist remains to be seen; Nixon joined the Democratic Socialists of America in June, though the group has not endorsed her. Meanwhile, Florida has trended more Republican since Obama’s 2008 and 2012 victories and Gillum’s narrow 2018 loss. Republican Senator Ashley Moody, the incumbent who faced no serious primary opposition on Tuesday, holds over $8 million in campaign funds.
Florida Could Elect Its First Black Governor — A Republican
Representative Byron Donalds, long endorsed by former President Trump in his home state, decisively outpaced his rivals in the Republican gubernatorial primary. He also far out‑raised Democratic nominee former Representative David Jolly, a former Republican.
However, Donalds fell short of 50 % on Tuesday, contrary to hopes among some Florida Republicans. He also failed to win several predominantly white, rural North Florida counties, raising concerns that some white Republicans may abstain or refuse to support a Black nominee in November.
Donalds dismissed worries about the lack of a majority, stating he would ultimately secure that support.
“They want the same thing we all want,” he told reporters, “a Florida built on common sense, law and order, and freedom.”
Another Scandal‑Hit House Republican Falls in Primary
Representative Cory Mills lost the Republican primary in Florida’s 7th Congressional District to Ryan Elijah, a former local news anchor, after losing key intra‑party support. Two House members endorsed Elijah, fearing a weak candidate could cost the party a safely Republican seat.
Mills faced a House Ethics Committee probe concerning allegations of assault and threatening behavior toward women. His removal followed that of North Carolina Representative Chuck Edwards, who was accused of sexually harassing two former female staffers and announced on Aug. 5 he would not run for re‑election. The next day, Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles lost his primary after facing criticism for anti‑Muslim remarks.
It Wasn’t a Progressive Sweep — Wasserman Schultz and Moskowitz Defeat Challengers
Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Jared Moskowitz, moderate, pro‑Israel Democrats, easily repelled challengers after Republican gerrymandering placed them in new districts. Wasserman Schultz, an 11‑term incumbent, confronted disappointment from Black Democrats reluctant to let her represent a historically Black district. Moskowitz defeated a democratic socialist opponent.
Sullivan (the Senator) and Peltola Advance to November Ballot
Senator Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican, and former Representative Mary Peltola, a Democrat, easily secured spots on the November ballot in Alaska’s Senate primary, setting up a highly anticipated contest that could determine Senate control.
Shane Goldmacher, David Ovalle, Kellen Browning and Theodore Schleifer contributed reporting.
