Florida Socialist Upset Shakes Democratic Party
PUBLISHED Aug 19, 2026, 1:25 PM ET
Florida state Representative Angie Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, defeated former national security official Alex Vindman in Tuesday's Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, securing over 56% of the vote despite Vindman's significant fundraising advantage of $16.3 million compared to Nixon's roughly $1 million . Vindman, a retired Army officer who testified in President Trump's first impeachment, conceded the race Tuesday night. Nixon advances to face Republican Senator Ashley Moody, who was appointed in 2025 to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio . Meanwhile, in the Florida gubernatorial race, Trump-backed Representative Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination with 47.8% of the vote and will face former Republican congressman David Jolly, who won the Democratic primary after switching parties . In Florida's 7th Congressional District, incumbent Republican Representative Cory Mills, endorsed by President Trump, lost his reelection bid to former television news anchor Ryan Elijah as Mills faces a House Ethics Committee investigation into possible campaign finance violations and assault allegations .
By James Porter | JQJO News
- Articles Published:
- 23
- Right Leaning:
- 0
- Left Leaning:
- 1
- Neutral:
- 22
- Distribution:
- Left 4%, Center 96%, Right 0%
Left: Nixon's primary victory represents a progressive shift in Florida Democratic politics. Center: Nixon won the Democratic primary with 56% despite being vastly outspent. Right: Socialist candidate defeats establishment Democrat in Florida Senate primary race.
Florida primary election results confirmed https://dos.fl.gov/elections/results
Coverage of Story:
From Center
Florida Socialist Upset Shakes Democratic Party
AP News Floridapolitics Prospect Breitbart Washingtonexaminer Independent Salon BBC Ft Bloomberg Axios CNN CBS News Sun Sentinel Jacksonville Local10 Floridaphoenix Wtsp Wusf News4jax News Journalonline PalmbeachpostFrom Right
No right-leaning sources found for this story.
Comments