JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida’s Democratic voters picked a socialist candidate for U.S. Senate in Tuesday’s primary, advancing state Rep. Angie Nixon, who wants to close prisons and calls drag shows “wholesome entertainment.”
Ms. Nixon’s victory in the primary was a stunning upset over her well-funded Democratic opponent, Alex Vindman, who rose to national prominence in 2019 when he testified against President Trump during the first of his two impeachments.
Mr. Trump savored Mr. Vindman’s defeat.
“How cool is that?” the president wrote on social media.
Tuesday’s results in Florida notched another victory for a growing army of socialists across the nation in the 2026 elections. Candidates touting socialist agendas have secured primary wins in Colorado, the District, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania by honing in on voter anger and frustration about the rising cost of living and promising free healthcare, free daycare and rent freezes.
Ms. Nixon’s win nevertheless raised eyebrows in a state where Democrats are a shrinking percentage of the electorate and where Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has governed as a solid conservative and remains popular.
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Mr. Vindman was endorsed by Senate Democrats, among them: Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Jack Reed of Rhode Island.
Ms. Nixon secured endorsements from members of Congress’ “Squad”: Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
Ms. Nixon beat Mr. Vindman despite his campaign’s massive financial advantage. She raised under $1 million and spent about $700,000.
Mr. Vindman, who moved to Florida in 2023 and ran as an anti-Trump champion, raised $16 million and spent $9 million trying to win the Senate primary.
Regardless, Ms. Nixon defeated Mr. Vindman, 56% to 44%
“We did it. We won this primary without taking a dime of corporate PAC money. No corporate checks. No billionaire-funded machine. Just a 100% grassroots campaign powered by people like you,” Ms. Nixon told her supporters on Wednesday.
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She said she recently joined the Democratic Socialists of America and is running on making life more affordable for working people.
“If wanting a neighbor to afford their insulin is radical, then call me a radical,” she said. “If believing a mother shouldn’t have to work three jobs just to keep a roof over their heads is extreme, then call me extreme.”
Ms. Nixon’s agenda calls for free healthcare, free childcare, free paid family and sick leave, a national rent freeze, a moratorium on evictions and a universal jobs program with inflation-adjusted wages. The programs would be funded, she said, by taxing billionaires, slashing military spending and ending “big money” funding of political races.
She also backs ending “mass incarceration,” “demilitarizing policing,” abolishing ICE, stopping deportations and creating a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.
In an interview this month with the podcast “Legal AF,” Ms. Nixon said she doesn’t understand those who oppose drag queen shows.
“There’s no sexualization at drag shows,” she said. “It’s people dressing up and singing and performing. I’ve taken my children to drag shows. And it’s fun, it’s wholesome entertainment. There’s nothing wrong.”
Ms. Nixon will face a much tougher political challenge in November when she competes against incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody, a Republican.
Ms. Moody was appointed to the Senate seat last year by Mr. DeSantis to fill a vacancy left by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. She was already favored to win in the general election, thanks to the significant GOP advantage among registered voters.
Election analysts say Ms. Nixon’s primary win makes the seat even safer for Republicans.
“Great job by Florida Democrats, who are combating the ‘communist’ label by nominating an actual communist,” said Jacksonville-based political strategist Jacob Perry.
Christine Pushaw, a former DeSantis spokeswoman, dismissed claims that Ms. Nixon’s victory signals socialism’s rising popularity in Florida.
“Vindman lost because he is a deep state establishment plant who carpetbagged to Florida a few weeks before announcing a statewide campaign here. He has zero connection to Florida and does not understand the state,” Ms. Pushaw said.
Ms. Nixon was born in Florida and has served in the Florida House of Representatives since 2020, representing a Jacksonville district.
Ms. Moody, also a native Floridian, served six years as the state’s attorney general.
Now she’s spotlighting Ms. Nixon’s hard-left stands and the DSA platform after handily securing the GOP Senate nomination in Tuesday’s primary.
“Their platform says defund the police, don’t fund the military, open up the border, let noncitizens vote,” Ms. Moody said.
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