Democratic factions collided in a high-stakes series of primary elections on August 18, as a progressive firebrand secured a major upset in the Florida Senate primary while two high-profile centrist incumbents successfully defended their congressional seats against left-wing challengers. The primary contests, which unfolded primarily across the Sunshine State, highlighted deep ideological divides over healthcare, the cost of living, and foreign policy, while also setting the stage for critical general election matchups in the fall.
In the night’s most stunning development, state Representative Angie Nixon, a 32-year-old Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) member, defeated retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Alex Vindman in the Democratic primary for the Florida Senate. Vindman, a former national security official who gained national prominence after testifying against Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial, had entered the race with a massive fundraising advantage. Despite the lack of public polling and the establishment's hopes of keeping the race competitive, Nixon secured an 11-percentage-point victory with approximately 95 percent of precincts reporting.
"We showed the world what organized people can accomplish," Nixon declared during her victory speech. She later celebrated on the social media platform X, posting, "We did it ya'll… the fight has just begun." Nixon campaigned on a progressive platform centered on universal healthcare and a $25-an-hour minimum wage. Her activism previously drew national attention when she staged a sit-in at Governor Ron DeSantis' office to protest the state's redrawn congressional map, an incident that led to charges of trespassing and resisting an officer without violence, for which she faces trial in September. With her primary victory, Nixon becomes the first Black woman to win a major party nomination for Senate in Florida, advancing to face Republican Senator Ashley Moody in a general election contest that forecasters currently rate as solidly in the Republican column.
While progressives celebrated Nixon's victory, centrist Democrats maintained their grip on two key congressional districts that had been redrawn by the state legislature at the behest of former President Donald Trump to favor Republicans. In Florida's 23rd Congressional District, which forecasters rate as the state’s only toss-up House race, two-term incumbent Representative Jared Moskowitz secured a decisive victory over progressive challenger Oliver Larkin. Moskowitz, a staunch defender of Israel, won by nearly 30 percentage points in a newly configured district where 25 percent of the population is Jewish and includes a high concentration of Holocaust survivors.
The primary battle between Moskowitz and Larkin heavily mirrored national debates over U.S. foreign policy. Larkin, running under the democratic socialist banner, focused his campaign on universal healthcare, the cost of living, and sharp opposition to Israel, labeling the conflict in Gaza a genocide and positioning himself as the "anti-Zionist" candidate. Moskowitz, who is Jewish, declined to debate Larkin, accusing his opponent of targeting him solely based on his religion—a claim that Larkin denied. Larkin had previously gone viral for his televised confrontations with conservative commentators leading up to the vote.
In the newly created 20th Congressional District, veteran lawmaker and former Democratic National Committee chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz also fended off a progressive challenge. Wasserman Schultz, who is White, faced significant criticism from within her party for entering the race in a plurality-Black district. The decision came amid heightened concerns among Black Democrats regarding the erosion of diversity initiatives and representation on Capitol Hill, particularly following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited portions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. While civil rights leaders warned the ruling could reduce minority representation in Congress, Wasserman Schultz argued that her extensive legislative experience would best serve South Florida constituents.
Wasserman Schultz defeated four Black candidates to secure a plurality of the vote, finishing approximately 25 percentage points ahead of her closest rival, former Broward County Mayor Dale V.C. Holness. The other candidates in the race included teacher and democratic socialist Elijah Manley, former Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick—who previously resigned amid a fraud scandal—and Luther Campbell, the founder of the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew.
On the Republican side, voters selected their nominee to succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis. Representative Byron Donalds, 47, secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination, joining a growing number of Black candidates running for governor. Donalds, a rising star in the House, raised more than $100 million and secured a crucial endorsement from Donald Trump. His primary campaign was marked by intense attacks from conservative activist James Fishback, who lobbed anti-Black remarks at Donalds throughout the election cycle. Donalds is only the second Black candidate to receive a major-party nomination for governor in Florida's history, following former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum's historic Democratic nomination in 2018.
Donalds will face former Representative David Jolly in the general election. Jolly, a former Republican turned Democrat and prominent Trump critic, cruised to his party's nomination by a 55-point margin. Jolly hopes to build a broad coalition of Democrats, independents, and moderate Republicans, though the general election is expected to favor the GOP in a state that Trump carried by 13 percentage points in 2024.
Meanwhile, Trump’s endorsement was not enough to save incumbent Republican Representative Cory Mills, who suffered a stinging defeat in his primary following serious misconduct allegations. Mills was the subject of a House ethics investigation regarding allegations of "sexual misconduct and/or dating violence" linked to a Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department response to a domestic assault report involving a woman with whom he was in a relationship. Despite Mills' vehement denials and continued support from Trump, many fellow Republicans called on him to resign.
Republican voters ultimately rejected Mills, handing a decisive 13-point victory to Ryan Elijah, a former Orlando-based news anchor. Elijah, who was endorsed by Representatives Mike Haridopolos and Anna Paulina Luna, defeated Mills and three other Republican candidates in a rare primary loss for a Trump-backed candidate this year. Elijah will advance to the general election to face Democrat Bale Dalton, a former Navy Captain and NASA chief of staff.
Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday's election.
Everything was stacked against the 32-year-old state legislator in a race establishment Democrats had hoped to make somewhat competitive this fall.
