Angie Nixon upsets Alex Vindman in Florida Democratic Senate primary

Democratic socialist Angie Nixon has scored an upset victory in Florida’s Democratic primary for the US Senate, defeating former national security official and retired Army officer Alex Vindman, according to projections by media outlets.

Nixon, 42, has served in the Florida state legislature since 2020. She will now face Republican Senator Ashley Moody in the November general election in a race that will help determine control of the US Senate.

The Florida Senate primary was closely watched as Democrats sought to challenge Republicans in a state that has shifted firmly to the right in recent elections.


Who is Angie Nixon?

Nixon has been active in Florida’s labor movement and is a prominent progressive voice in the state legislature. Her campaign received backing from progressive figures, including Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar.

Earlier this year, Nixon was reprimanded after disrupting a Florida House vote while protesting legislation related to congressional redistricting. She used a pink megaphone during the protest and later urged supporters to “make sure you wear your pink to the polls.”

Nixon’s victory over Vindman marks a significant upset in the Florida Democratic Senate primary.

Vindman became nationally known in 2019 after testifying before Congress during then-President Donald Trump’s first impeachment proceedings. He testified about a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Ashley Moody favoured in Florida Senate race

Despite Nixon’s primary win, nonpartisan election analysts expect Republican Ashley Moody to have an advantage in the November general election.

Moody is running to complete the remaining two years of the Senate term previously held by Marco Rubio, who is now serving as Trump’s secretary of state.

Republicans are also favored in Florida’s gubernatorial election. Republican Byron Donalds is set to face former Republican and now Democrat David Jolly.

Florida redistricting reshapes House races

Florida’s primary elections also featured several key congressional races following a Republican-backed redistricting effort that created new districts and forced some veteran Democratic lawmakers to seek election in unfamiliar territory.

Representative Jared Moskowitz was projected to win the Democratic nomination in Florida’s 25th Congressional District, defeating challenger Oliver Larkin, who was backed by the Democratic Socialists of America.

Moskowitz will face Republican Scott Singer, a former Boca Raton mayor, in November. The race is among the few Florida House contests expected to be competitive.

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was first elected to Congress in 2004, also won the Democratic nomination in a Black-majority district centered in Broward County.

Her decision to run in the historically Black district had drawn criticism from some activists concerned about the impact of redistricting on Black representation in Congress. The debate followed a Supreme Court decision in April that weakened a landmark civil rights law.

Florida House delegation could become more Republican

Republican state Representative Mike Beltran was projected to win the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Representative Kathy Castor in a newly redrawn district that favors Republicans.

Florida’s new congressional map, pushed through by the Republican-controlled legislature this spring, could result in a House delegation of 24 Republicans and just four Democrats.

The redistricting effort is part of a broader national battle over congressional maps. States traditionally redraw their congressional districts at the beginning of each decade following the US Census, but several states have undertaken mid-decade redistricting after Trump urged Republicans to strengthen their House majority.

Democratic-led states have responded with redistricting efforts of their own.

Trump won Florida by 13 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, underscoring the Republican advantage in the state.

Republican Cory Mills loses primary

Republican Representative Cory Mills, who is facing ethics investigations, was defeated in the Republican primary in central Florida by former broadcast news anchor Ryan Elijah.

Mills has denied allegations involving campaign finance violations and sexual misconduct that are being investigated by the House Ethics Committee.

Democrats had viewed the district as a potential pickup opportunity had Mills secured the Republican nomination.

Alaska Senate primary draws attention

In Alaska, voters took part in an unusual nonpartisan US Senate primary featuring Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and Republican incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan.

Another Republican candidate, Dan J. Sullivan, whose name is almost identical to the incumbent’s, remained on the ballot despite efforts to remove him.

Former Alaska Representative Peltola has emerged as a potential threat to Sullivan in a state that has traditionally favored Republican candidates. Some opinion polls have shown Peltola leading the incumbent.

The race has also attracted Trump’s attention. He urged Alaska voters on social media to “be careful” and vote for the “real Dan Sullivan,” while calling Dan J. Sullivan an “imposter.”

The US Justice Department is investigating whether Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher, entered the race with the intention of confusing voters and drawing support away from the incumbent, according to a source familiar with the investigation. He has denied that this was his intention.

Alaska’s top four candidates in the nonpartisan primary will advance to the November election. Peltola could also benefit from the state’s ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates and could help her consolidate support among independents.

Democrats target Republican Senate majority

Democrats are seeking to gain at least four Republican-held Senate seats to take control of the 100-member chamber.

The Florida and Alaska Senate races are therefore being closely watched as Democrats look for opportunities to expand their presence in Congress.

In the House, Republican Representative Nick Begich III is facing a challenge from former school administrator Bill Hill, who is running as an independent but has previously donated to Democratic candidates. Thirteen other candidates are also on the ballot.

(With inputs from Reuters)