Florida Democrats to decide which way the party leans in Senate race

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) - In just a few days, Florida Democrats will have several chances to decide if their party leans more progressive or more establishment in their bid to unseat heavily favored Republicans in November.

Experts say the Democratic primary between Rep. Angie Nixon and retired Col. Alex Vindman presents the best bellwether. They caution, however, that no one election will provide conclusive proof of the future of the party.

But we are certainly going to watch these races very closely to get some cues about, for example, which direction the Democratic Party is going in.," said USF Professor Emeritius Susan MacManus. “Is it going more progressive or what? Same on the Republicans. Is there a split between the MAGA and the other more centrist Republicans? So we’ll be watching that.”

Whether Nixon or Vindman wins, they’ll be heavy underdogs against Sen. Ashley Moody, who is in the running to defend her seat. Moody was previously the state’s attorney general, and was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Nixon, professors say, is considered more progressive. She gained notoriety for protesting partisan redistricting on the floor of the Florida House, and for being arrested for trespassing at the governor’s office.

“I, and we, are fighting against a system that protects the ultra rich while punishing hard working families. We are not going to be intimidated. We are going to organize harder. We are going to speak louder and we are going to win,” Nixon said at a press conference following her arrest.

Vindman, meanwhile, presents himself as the accountability candidate, who himself gained fame by testifying before Congress during the first impeachment of President Donald Trump,

Recently, Vindman already attempted to paint the race as between himself and Moody. He called on her to drop any objections she may have to the release of the Hope Florida grand jury report.

“The corruption I’m going to talk to you about is something that’s being widely reported now here in Florida. It’s Ashley Moody’s abuse of the trust of the people of Florida. She took $10 million out of Medicaid, a child healthcare fund, to fund a political campaign. That earned her Senate seat. What is that called? It’s called a payoff,” Vindman said outside the Florida Capitol on last week.

Moody, for her part, has maintained a low-key campaign, according to Politico. While she does face primary challengers, neither polls nor prediction markets consider them serious.

“Republicans coming together, united, fighting for the same thing: results for Florida families. I made a promise when I came to Washington, and I’m proud of what I’ve delivered: No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Social Security, the $2,200 increased Child Tax Credit, over $1.7 billion in FEMA disaster funding relief, and nearly $1 billion for Florida’s military installations and servicemembers. But none of that happens without all of you – and it doesn’t happen without unified Republicans heading into November,” Moody said in July.

Florida Democrats will be holding their primary in the shadow of a Senate race in Michigan which saw a progressive win in that purple state. Though Florida is not considered a “swing state” with Republicans holding the vast majority of offices.

In a press release on Aug. 5, Nixon congratulated Abdul El-Sayed on his win in Michigan. She said this is a “huge win” that sends a message to the rest of the country about voters.

“Voters are done with corporate, middle-of-the-road politicians, and they’re hungry for leaders who will actually fight for real change that helps them, like Medicare for All, living wages, and a government that works for us,” Nixon said in that press release. “The momentum is undeniable - Michigan just showed us how it’s done, and Florida is next on August 18.”

“So what we have, at least on the Democratic side, is voters will soon say, are they looking for somebody who’s maybe more moderate and mainstream, but certainly has been going after President Trump for some time, Alex Vindman, or do they want somebody that’s more on the progressive wing of the party (Nixon),” said UCF Associate Professor Aubrey Jewett.

Susan MacManus, a professor emeritus at the University of South Florida, says government watchers will be keeping a close eye on the Democratic primary.

“But that is a race that will give us some indication of the leanings of it. But particularly since that is a statewide poll, but only of Democrats, but a statewide poll as opposed to one done just for a congressional district or so forth,” she said.

In a recent appearance in Tallahassee, Vindman said he can build a coalition, insinuating he won’t alienate voters in the general election.

“So if we could do those two things, we could get rid of the corrupt politicians, then we could start delivering for folks. But then it’s also a skill set to try to figure out how to get things done, how to come together, how to bring coalitions,” said Vindman.