On Tuesday night, State Rep. Angie Nixon defeated National Security Council aide Alex Vindman in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary.
Nixon, who joined the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) during the campaign and was backed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), raised less than a $1 million for her race while Vindman, who gained popularity by testifying against Donald Trump during the 2019 impeachment hearings, took in more than $16 million.
“Democratic Socialist State Representative Angie Nixon, outspent more than 16 to 1, pulled off a HUGE upset to win the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Florida,” tweeted Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.). “Congratulations, Angie!”
“The people are rising up against the political establishment that has failed them,” said Jewish Voice for Peace Action executive director Stefanie Fox, the group’s executive director. “The time is now for candidates like Nixon who champion working people and fight relentlessly to defend the rights of all people from Florida to Palestine.”
In November 2023, Nixon introduced a resolution in the Florida House calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The moment became viral as a result of her impassioned plea on the House floor.
“Many of my colleagues have stated that folks are fearful of another massacre occurring to the Jewish people,” she declared. “Well, guess what? A massacre is occurring now. Entire bloodlines of Palestinians have been wiped away. They are gone.”
“To the people at home, I will fight on your behalf no matter what,” Nixon continued. “Even if they threaten to take away funding. Even if they threaten to silence me, I won’t remain silent. Even if they punish me like they continue to do because I’m speaking out for marginalized communities, all marginalized communities.”
Nixon’s effort was handily defeated by a vote of 104-2.
When Nixon told the chamber that 10,000 Palestinians had already been killed and asked how many would be enough, Republican Representative Michelle Salzman shouted out, “All of them.”
“Wow, one of my colleagues just said ‘all of them.’ Wow, one of my colleagues said ‘all of them,” responded Nixon, choking back tears. “One of my colleagues also stated that this is going to dry up their fundraising if we vote on this resolution. That’s what we’ve become in this state.”
During the debate, Nixon’s colleagues denounced her as an anti-Jewish bigot for defending Palestinians.
“If you vote for this, you are putting my child and every Jewish child in this state at risk because what you were doing is you are saying what these monsters that are parading through our college campuses on the streets are doing is justified,” said Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), the infamous, anti-Muslim lawmaker who would go on to join the U.S. House in 2025. “If you vote for this, you’re an anti-Semite.”
“I’m saying today we will not stand for this in the state of Florida,” said House Speaker Paul Renner. So, if we need to go out and have a task force to go prosecute people, that’s what we’re going to do. We will not allow our Jewish citizens to be victimized period.”
“I don’t know about you but I was taught to love my neighbors,” Nixon told supporters after winning the race. “They call me extreme but these things are not radical. They are not extreme.”
In an appearance on Morning Joe on Wednesday Nixon told the panel that, “Netanyahu is a war criminal who needs to answer to his crimes.”
“I do not support sending any money or any weapons to Israel at this moment,” she added. “No, I don’t.”
Across the state, other progressive challengers fell short.
In the Democratic primary for the 25th district, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a staunch supporter of Israel, beat Oliver Larkin, a DSA member and self-described anti-Zionist, by nearly 30 points.
“Our movement has never been about one person or one election,” said Larkin in a statement after Moskowitz’s was declared winner. “It is about building a popular mass movement for the issues that make a material difference in people’s lives: Medicare for All. A living wage of $25 an hour. Universal childcare. Paid family and medical leave. Free college. A Green New Deal. Abolishing ICE. Abolishing college loan and medical debt. Affordable housing. Unions for all. Ending U.S. military aid for genocide, apartheid, and war crimes so we can invest our taxpayer dollars in our communities where they belong.”
Upon winning, Moskowitz immediately called out popular left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who had backed Larkin in the race.
“It’s pretty wild that his first thought was a prominent critic of Israel, before even thanking his constituents…,” responded Piker. “Really worried about his genocidal emotional support apartheid state.”
In the state’s 20th district, pro-Israel Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) prevailed in a crowded field and is now expected to head to the House for her 12th term. Wasserman Schultz joined the race after her previous district was essentially eliminated via GOP redistricting.
In the gubernatorial race, Republican Byron Donalds and (recently turned) Democrat David Jolly won their primaries. Both are committed supporters of Israel.
Nixon will be an underdog again when she faces off against Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL.) in the general election. Moody was picked to fill the seat by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) after Marco Rubio joined the Trump administration.
“I’ve unseated incumbents before,” Nixon told MS Now. “I’ve been outspent 5 to 1, and I did that while I was nine months pregnant with COVID. Y’all, I’m not nine months pregnant anymore, and I definitely don’t have COVID.”
“So y’all know I’m going to work hard as I can and that is how I’m going to win,” she continued. “And that is how I know that Ashley Moody will be calling me Senator in November.”
