Alex Vindman (left) and Angie Nixon (right) seek to become the first Democrat from Florida elected to the United States Senate in 14 years. | Submitted
Published on July 20, 2026 at 1:56 pm
Free local news and info, in your inbox at 6 a.m. M-F. Sign up for the Jacksonville Today newsletter.
Two Democrats are running in the Aug. 18 primary in hopes of unseating Republican Florida Sen. Ashley Moody, the former state attorney general who Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed last year to take Marco Rubio’s place when he became U.S. secretary of state.
At the Florida Democratic Party’s annual summit Saturday in Lake Buena Vista, Senate hopeful Alex Vindman stressed the importance of the “big tent” inclusivity within the Democratic Party to winning in November. Vindman, who rose to national prominence as a whistleblower in President Donald Trump’s 2019 impeachment inquiry, spoke moments after being rushed inside a convention center while dodging supporters of his primary opponent, the progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Among Nixon’s supporters were Jacksonville activist and podcaster Jamil Davis and Brit Robinson, a Democratic Socialist who’s running against Rep. Aaron Bean in Northeast Florida’s 4th District, who showed up to demand answers from the retired military officer about American military support of Israel and military action in Iran.
Vindman’s remarks on Saturday were some of his most extensive explanations of his policy positions since entering the race in January 2026.
“That, to me, is what I am ultimately fighting for. (I’m) making sure that people across Florida, across the political spectrum, across every group, have someone who is going to represent their interests,” Vindman said. “They can pick up the phone, talk to, know that someone is going to be responsive to their interests. That is not what we have at the moment.”
Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Who is running for U.S. Senate?
Moody is the prohibitive favorite in the Republican primary. In order to face her, Vindman or Nixon must win the Democratic primary.
Vindman has never held elected office. He touts his military career as evidence that he can provide a check and balance on the federal executive branch.
Vindman says Democratic control of the U.S. Senate is one way to wind down the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and he is committed to a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
“I’m very much concerned about a policy that undermines a two-state solution. That includes this idea of settlers infringing on the viability of a state. I have been consistently critical of a (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu administration that has undermined a two-state solution. I think this war has gone on too long. And, frankly, (it’s) a war that should have wound down a long time ago. I’m committed to the security of the state of Israel. …You can do both of those things.”
Vindman also laid out a three-pronged immigration policy:
- Provide “legal status” to young adults who qualify as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). They are adults who illegally entered the U.S. as children who arrived with parents or family members. Currently, these adults, also known as Dreamers, do not have work permits.
- Keeping Temporary Protected Status for immigrants “as long as conditions haven’t changed.”
- Swift trials of those who are accused of violating immigration laws.
“We have an obligation, as a sovereign nation, to secure our borders. We have to understand who is coming in for the security of the nation. But, it doesn’t have to be in the cruel and corrupt manner we are seeing from this administration,” Vindman said.
Vindman claimed corruption within the billionaire class leads to fuel, food and insurance price increases for Floridians.
He also expressed a commitment to voting for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Vindman referred to Florida’s mid-decade redistricting as “engineered divisions” from the Florida Legislature.
Florida has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2012, and it’s been 40 years since a Florida Democrat beat an incumbent Republican in a U.S. Senate race.
“We need to win,” Vindman said. “If we don’t do that, the state and country may end up being unrecognizable. My biggest qualification, between my biography and my service and my working-class roots – my family came here as refugees – I think I have a unique resonance to connect to the electorate and have enough folks come behind us to deliver a win.”
Nixon has made a name for herself as a firebrand in the Florida Legislature who’s been reprimanded for using a bullhorn on the floor and arrested for protesting outside of Gov. DeSantis’ office. She seeks to become the first Jaxson to serve in the U.S. Senate in 90 years. She views her candidacy as returning power to working-class Floridians.
“I am the only candidate in this race that’s willing to give a voice to the people, that’s willing to listen to the people, willing to listen to uplift their concerns because I’m the only one that’s willing to talk to them, to hear what their concerns are,” Nixon says.
Both Democrats have their work cut out for them. According to a statewide University of North Florida poll of registered voters, released July 20, Moody leads both Democrats.
Moody leads Vindman by 10 percentage points, 50% to 40% with 7% of respondents undecided. Moody leads Nixon by eight percentage points, 50% to 42% with 6% undecided.
A debate between Nixon and Vindman has yet to be scheduled. Only registered Democrats will have an opportunity to decide between Vindman and Nixon. July 20 is the last day to register to vote or change parties in order to participate in either the Republican or Democratic primary.
Florida’s primary elections are Aug. 18.
