Democratic State Rep. Nixon upsets Vindman, will face Moody for U.S. Senate

State Rep. Angie Nixon, a staunch progressive who represents part of Jacksonville in the Florida House, defeated establishment favorite Lt. Col. Alex Vindman in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, overcoming a vast fundraising disadvantage.

As of Tuesday evening, Nixon led with about 56 percent of the vote to Vindman’s 44 percent.

“We are strong, we are united, and it’s going to take all of us to win in November,” Nixon said at her watch party in Duval County on Tuesday evening.

Vindman was a central figure in the first impeachment of President Donald Trump, but largely ignored Nixon in his campaign, preferring to focus on Moody and Trump.

Nixon will face incumbent U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Tampa, in the general election. Moody won 80 percent of the vote, easily defeating her three GOP challengers – Chris Gleason, who received 14 percent, Ernest Rivera who had 5 percent, and Neelam Perry who received 2 percent.

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“I am energized and inspired by the momentum we are building together,” Moody told supporters in a victory speech in Plant City. “We are standing for common sense, a commitment to safe communities, a commitment to accountable and responsive government.”

Nixon, who was endorsed by Our Revolution, a national progressive organization associated with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, won with a little less than $1 million in campaign contributions compared to Vindman’s $16.2 million.

Nixon joins several progressive candidates across the nation who have won their primaries, including Abdul El-Sayed, who won his primary U.S. Senate race in Michigan, and Peggy Flanagan, who won her primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota.

In a released statement, Vindman said he’ll support Nixon in the general election.

“Who would’ve ever thought that a Jewish refugee would make it to the U.S. Army, to the White House, and to becoming a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Only in America is that possible,” Vindman said. “Rep. Nixon ran a strong campaign. I will be standing by her side in the fight against Ashley Moody. I hope you’ll join me.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which backed Vindman, immediately announced its support of Nixon.

“Angie Nixon has dedicated her career to fighting for Florida. A lifelong native of Jacksonville and a former union organizer, Angie’s dedication to put working families first runs deep – and now, she’s running to take that fight to the Senate,” U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, and DSCC Chairwoman U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, D-NY, said in a released joint statement.

Nixon will face Moody, Florida’s former attorney general who was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Gov. Ron DeSantis after Marco Rubio left the position to become Secretary of State.

“My focus in being the senator on behalf of Florida is fighting for Florida families, making sure I am accountable to the constituents and that I am moving the ball forward on their issues, clearing out regulations that are making things harder for them or costing money,” Moody told the News Service of Florida on Monday. 

Moody has raised approximately $11.2 million this year. Comparably, Gleason and Rivera raised about $26,000 and $16,000, respectively.

The winner of the U.S. Senate race will serve the remaining two years of Rubio’s term before facing reelection in 2028.

This fall’s race will mark the first time in state history two women advanced to the general election for a Senate seat. Either Nixon or Moody will become the first Floridian woman in the U.S. Senate since Paula Hawkins in 1986.

Nixon also seeks to become the first Jaxson in 90 years to represent Florida in the Senate.

She pledged to put working people at the heart of her campaign. She invoked healthcare costs, childcare costs, affordable housing and rising property tax rates as issues she will tackle in Washington.

“We are going to show what happens when we realize that we are not each other’s enemies, that we are all struggling with the same things and we can come together to fight for what we deserve – what we all deserve – because there is enough for all of us,” she said in her victory speech Tuesday.

Jacksonville Today‘s Will Brown contributed to this report.