Democratic State Representative Scores Upset Win in Florida Senate Primary

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe underdog faces another uphill battle this November against a Republican incumbent heavily favored to win.State Representative Angie Nixon at a campaign event in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last week.Credit...Saul Martinez for The New York TimesAug. 18, 2026, 8:01 p.m. ETState Representative Angie Nixon of Jacksonville, a progressive firebrand who ran a long-shot underdog campaign, won the Democratic nomination for Senate in Florida, according to The Associated Press, the latest left-wing victory against establishment Democrats.Ms. Nixon, 42, defeated Alex Vindman, a former national security official who was a top witness in President Trump’s first impeachment trial. His entry was largely welcomed by Democratic Party leaders hoping to make Florida at least competitive this fall. He far out-raised Ms. Nixon and had been seen as the clear front-runner in the race.But there was little independent polling ahead of the primary. Pollsters most likely saw little upside to spending money in a state that President Trump won by 13 percentage points in 2024.Ms. Nixon, who joined the Democratic Socialists of America in June, will now test whether a progressive can win over moderate Democrats, as well as independents and crossover Republicans, in an increasingly red state.Ms. Nixon, a union organizer, ran a grass-roots campaign, often driving herself to events across the state — clad in her signature hot pink outfits — and relying on volunteers and union members for field organizing.She will now challenge Senator Ashley Moody, the Republican incumbent, in November.Although Ms. Moody is the sitting senator, Democrats see her as potentially vulnerable in a tough midterm year for Republicans. She has held the position only since last year, having been appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, after Marco Rubio left the post to become secretary of state. She remains largely unknown among Florida voters, polls show, even after winning two terms as the state’s attorney general.But Republicans have clear structural advantages in Florida elections, including more robust fund-raising and field organization. And Democrats have tended to bet on moderates to unseat Republican incumbents.Susan Cooper Eastman contributed reporting from Jacksonville, Fla.Patricia Mazzei is a national political correspondent for The Times, based in Miami.Related ContentAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT