In a surprising turn of events, Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, a Democratic socialist, defeated Alex Vindman in the state's Democratic Senate primary. The upset hands progressives a major victory in President Trump's home state, setting up a challenging general election contest against Republican Sen. Ashley Moody for the seat vacated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) but not endorsed by the national group, outperformed expectations. Her win marks the first time a democratic socialist has won a Senate or gubernatorial primary this cycle, following Francesca Hong's narrow loss in Wisconsin's gubernatorial primary last week.
Despite her DSA affiliation, Nixon downplayed the label in an interview with NBC News, saying, "Look, we can argue all day about people's labels, but at the end of the day, I care about the needs of people." Her campaign confirmed to The Hill that she is also a member of the Working Families Party, SEIU, and the Democratic Party.
Nixon's victory was not the only notable result in Florida. Rep. Jared Moskowitz easily fended off DSA-backed challenger Oliver Larkin in a key battleground district, while Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz beat a progressive rival in a newly reshaped, plurality-Black seat. These mixed results show the progressive movement's uneven influence in the Sunshine State.
President Trump faced a tough night in Florida House primaries. Two of his endorsed candidates lost: scandal-plagued Rep. Cory Mills, who was under an ethics investigation, and Catalina Lauf, who was running for Rep. Byron Donalds's seat. Donalds, with Trump's backing, secured the Republican nomination for governor, setting up a showdown with Democrat Jolly.
Mills's defeat came after the House Ethics Committee opened a probe into allegations of campaign finance violations and sexual misconduct. He has denied any wrongdoing, noting he has not been charged or arrested. Trump endorsed Mills in February but notably omitted him from a recent post touting his Florida endorsements.
In other Florida races, Ryan Elijah, a former local news anchor, won the GOP primary for Mills's seat, while other contests saw candidates advance to November in the redrawn 22nd and 23rd districts. Rogers won the GOP nod in Florida's 2nd District, backed by Sen. Rick Scott.
Nixon's win has immediate implications for the general election. Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia wrote on X that the nonpartisan handicapper would shift the Florida Senate race from "likely Republican" to "safe Republican," reflecting the uphill battle Nixon faces against Moody.
Vindman, who rose to prominence as a witness in Trump's 2019 impeachment hearings, congratulated Nixon and pledged his support. "Rep. Nixon ran a strong campaign. I will be standing by her side in the fight against Ashley Moody," he said.
Tuesday's primaries also extended to Wyoming and Alaska. In Wyoming, the first open governor, Senate, and House races in three decades drew attention, with a Trump-backed candidate losing the governor primary and Gray winning the GOP House primary. In Alaska, competitive races were still taking shape early Wednesday.
Overall, the night underscored the enduring influence of progressive activists in Democratic primaries, even as establishment figures like Moskowitz and Wasserman Schultz held their ground. For Trump, the losses in Florida highlight the limits of his endorsement power in contested races.
