(August 19, 2026)
The group of volunteers for her underdog Senate campaign sat inside a union office in suburban Broward County, a liberal stronghold in the increasingly Republican-leaning state. It was a small group, maybe a dozen people.
But donât worry, Ms. Nixonâs political director, Rachel Gilmer, reassured them: âThis tiny room is part of many, many tiny roomsâ across the state, she said, with more volunteers also ready to knock on Democratic votersâ doors.
In a surprise upset described variously as âstunningâ and âa shockerâ in headlines, State Rep. Angie Nixon won the Democratic primary for the open US Senate seat in Florida on Tuesday, defeating Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, the former national security official who many presumed would sail to victory with the support of the party establishment and a massive cash advantage.
Nixon, a former union organizer and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, will now face Sen. Ashley Moody, whom Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed to the seat after former Sen. Marco Rubio became Secretary of State, in the general election.
What Led To This Moment
Angie Nixon is a Florida State Representative, union organizer, and mother born and raised in Jacksonville who has spent her career fighting for hardworking Floridians. In the State House, she expanded childcare, took on corporate price-gouging, and led the fight against DeSantisâs unfair voting maps. Her leadership is rooted in lived experienceâwatching her mom work two jobs to get by, attending public schools, and losing her cousin to gun violence. Angie is running to lower costs, raise wages, and build a people-powered government that puts families firstânot greedy billionaires.
Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon, from Jacksonville‘s Moncrief neighborhood, beat former Trump Administraton whistleblower Alex Vindman in a stunning upset.
Vindman ran a centrist camapaign focused on corruption and the need for congressional checks on the Trump administration. But some strategists have said his campaign was a sleepy one, centered more on the general election than on the primary, where he faced an experienced campaigner.
Vindman declined to debate Nixon during the campaign. He conceded the race Tuesday night, applauding her âhard workâ and Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate. ââI will be standing by her,â he said, âand my hope is that she wins this election, because again, the stakes couldnât be higher.â
Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member and Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon scored a massive upset in the state‘s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Nixon ran against retired Air Force Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a prominent critic of Trump who played a central role in the left‘s failed 2019 impeachment attempt, who was expected to emerge victorious.
She defeated Vindman by almost 12 points, despite his $16.3 million war chest, compared to hers of only about $1 million. As of July, Vindman had spent about $9 million on the race, while Nixon had spent just over $700,000.