Angie Nixon Wins Florida Democratic Senate Primary in Upset

Florida State Representative Angie Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate on August 19, 2026. Nixon defeated retired Lieutenant Colonel Alex Vindman with 56.1% of the vote, marking the first time a member of the Democratic Socialists of America has won a major-party nomination for statewide office.

Nixon secured the victory despite a massive fundraising gap, raising approximately $975,000 compared to Vindman's $16.3 million. She campaigned on a progressive platform including Medicare for All, a $25 hourly federal minimum wage, and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While Nixon has joined the Democratic Socialists of America, she has stated she is not a socialist and disagrees with certain group planks, such as defunding the police.

Nixon will face Republican incumbent Senator Ashley Moody in the November general election. Moody, appointed to the seat by Governor Ron DeSantis to replace Marco Rubio, has characterized Nixon as wanting to "destroy this country and everything that it's built on." Following the result, Sabato’s Crystal Ball upgraded the race from "Likely Republican" to "Safe Republican."

In other Florida primary results, Republican Representative Byron Donalds won the GOP nomination for governor. Meanwhile, Donald Trump celebrated Vindman's defeat, calling the former impeachment witness a "treasonous creep." Vindman subsequently endorsed Nixon, while Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly publicly distanced himself from Nixon's socialist views.