The Democratic Socialists of America face their final significant primary test of the midterm cycle on Tuesday in Florida, coming off a stinging loss in Wisconsin that has dampened progressive momentum. The party's endorsed candidate, Oliver Larkin, is challenging incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz in the Democratic primary for Florida's 25th Congressional District, a seat redrawn under Republican-friendly maps.
Moskowitz enters the contest with clear advantages in fundraising and name recognition, but Larkin's campaign has generated grassroots enthusiasm that his supporters hope will translate into votes in President Trump's home state. The district, stretching along the Atlantic coast from Miami Beach to Boca Raton, leans older with significant Hispanic and Jewish populations. Biden carried it by roughly 5 points in 2020, but Trump flipped it by about 9 points in 2024, according to Cook Political Report.
The Florida primary is the last in a string of congressional races testing the DSA's electoral strength, with only a handful of state legislative contests remaining. The outcome will serve as a barometer for progressive candidates' electability heading into the general election. DSA co-Chair Ashik Siddique expressed optimism, saying, "By the end of the year, we'll have a solid block of democratic socialists coming into Congress." He added, "Whatever happens, DSA members will be coming out stronger, better organized, and we'll keep working to show that there's a base for this working-class alternative in Florida."
So far this cycle, seven DSA-endorsed candidates have won their congressional primaries, including incumbents Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib. In New York, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier secured House nominations, with Avila Chevalier unseating Rep. Adriano Espaillat. Pennsylvania's Chris Rabb won a Philadelphia primary, Colorado's Melat Kiros defeated Rep. Diana DeGette, and Michigan's Donavan McKinney beat Rep. Shri Thanedar. All five districts are safely Democratic, putting these nominees on track for Congress.
Larkin told The Hill that the cycle has been "extraordinary," predicting a strong cohort of progressive freshmen in January. He argued this would "strengthen the Democratic Party's message." But the Florida race presents a tougher environment. The district was reshaped after Broward County's old 25th was dismantled, and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz moved to the deep-blue 20th. The new 25th incorporates parts of the 23rd and 24th districts, making it a better fit for the moderate Moskowitz, who is seeking a third term.
On the Republican side, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, a well-funded moderate, leads the GOP primary in sparse polling. Joe Kaufman, the 2024 nominee in Florida's 23rd, and former state Rep. George Moraitis are also running. Republicans have seized on progressive candidates as evidence of a Democratic lurch left, but Larkin dismissed such concerns, saying, "I think Republicans should be careful what they wish for," pointing to Ocasio-Cortez's success.
Democratic strategists, however, warn that the district's rightward shift makes it a tough lift for any Democrat. Florida operative Steve Schale noted that the eventual nominee must win a seat Trump carried by 7 to 9 points. "Under the best set of ratings, it's a seat that should lean Republican in a normal year," he said. Schale added that for Moskowitz, "punching a little left and beating his DSA opponent probably helps him more than hurts him" by solidifying his appeal to the median voter.
Larkin, while proud of his DSA affiliation, acknowledged it's not his primary focus on the trail. "I'm very proud to be a DSA-endorsed candidate, but I know that that's not the most proximate concern for every voter in my district," he said. He emphasized that regardless of Tuesday's outcome, the campaign's groundwork will have a "ripple effect across South Florida and across the state." Moskowitz's campaign declined to comment.
The Florida primary comes just a week after DSA-backed Francesca Hong lost her Wisconsin gubernatorial bid to a moderate rival, despite polling that had shown her ahead. Meanwhile, progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won Minnesota's Senate primary over moderate Rep. Angie Craig. These mixed results underscore the ongoing tension within the Democratic Party between its progressive and moderate wings, a dynamic that could shape the general election. For more on this internal struggle, see the party's struggle to counter the socialist surge. Additionally, party insiders warn the surge could threaten a comeback.
