Florida voters are casting ballots today to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant when Marco Rubio became secretary of state. The winner will serve the remainder of the term that began in 2022 and will face reelection in two years for a full six-year term.
Republican Ashley Moody, a former state attorney general appointed to the seat by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2025, is the GOP nominee. She easily won her primary in August and has the backing of the state party apparatus.
Democrats chose state Rep. Angie Nixon, a progressive from Jacksonville, as their standard-bearer. Nixon pulled off an upset in the primary, defeating moderate Alex Vindman by roughly 13 points. Vindman, a key whistleblower in the first Trump impeachment and brother of Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.), had been seen as the establishment favorite.
Florida has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2012, and the state has trended Republican over the past decade after years as the quintessential swing state. But this year’s race has tightened unexpectedly, mirroring a national environment that has soured on the GOP. Recent surveys show a contest that is too close to call.
Polls close at 7 p.m. Eastern. Results will stream in throughout the evening, with the outcome potentially hinging on turnout in the state’s urban centers and suburbs.
The race has drawn national attention as a bellwether for the 2026 midterms. Democrats are hoping that Nixon’s progressive energy can motivate young and minority voters, while Republicans are relying on Moody’s law-and-order credentials and the state’s GOP lean. The contest also unfolds as voters weigh a redrawn congressional map that could shape the House majority.
Outside groups have spent millions on both sides, with attack ads dominating the airwaves. Moody has sought to tie Nixon to national Democrats’ more liberal positions, while Nixon has hammered Moody over her ties to DeSantis and her record as attorney general.
As polls close, election officials are reporting smooth operations, though a white-powder mailing scare in another state has put election workers on alert. In Florida, the focus remains on the Senate race, which could provide an early signal of the national mood.
The winner will be sworn in promptly and will immediately face a crowded legislative calendar, including spending battles and judicial confirmations. With the Senate narrowly divided, the Florida result could tip the balance on key votes.
For now, all eyes are on the Sunshine State as voters decide who will represent them in Washington.
