{"id":159060,"date":"2026-02-17T23:30:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T23:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/159060\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T23:30:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T23:30:25","slug":"jacksonville-state-representative-launches-senate-bid-the-flagler-college-gargoyle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/159060\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacksonville State Representative Launches Senate Bid \u2013 The Flagler College Gargoyle"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Logan Johnson<\/p>\n

JACKSONVILLE \u2013 As the nation reels in disgust at the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti \u2013 two people executed in broad daylight by federal agents \u2013 a different storm is brewing in northeast Florida: a storm with ambitions for Congress.<\/p>\n

Jacksonville native, community organizer and member of the Florida House of Representatives Angie Nixon announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate over social media on Jan. 22 \u2013 and then again in person during a block party on Jan. 25.<\/p>\n

On that cloudy afternoon, rows of chairs viewing a trailer stage sprawled the parking lot of Caf\u00e9 Resistance, which serves as community center, political organizing space, bookstore and coffee shop for the people of Jacksonville. Behind the adults stood a lively bounce house of screaming children, and next to them was a growing display of innocent chalk drawings spanning the concrete. Inside the quaint little business awaited Caf\u00e9 Resistance\u2019s owner: U.S. Senate Candidate Angie Nixon.<\/p>\n

With ICE\u2019s killing of Renee Good just weeks before Nixon\u2019s rally and the Border Patrol\u2019s killing of Alex Pretti only a day prior, the federal government\u2019s nationwide immigration crackdown was in the hearts and minds of Nixon, her volunteers and the rally\u2019s attendees.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see what\u2019s happening in Minneapolis right now,\u201d Nixon addressed the crowd. \u201cWe see how they are weaponizing ICE and weaponizing police officers and law enforcement to come out and to harm and brutalize our communities. This ain\u2019t new y\u2019all. This happened in the Jim Crow era. They\u2019re trying to return us back to the worst chapters of our history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Waking the State<\/p>\n

\"\"Rally Attendees crowded in the parking lot of Caf\u00e9 Resistance during Nixon\u2019s campaign rally and block party. Photo by Logan Johnson.<\/p>\n

Since early September (well before officially announcing her candidacy) Nixon has been on the road traveling across Florida\u2019s 67 counties listening to Floridians voice their concerns \u2013 absorbing the struggles of Florida residents into her campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m running for United States Senate because change can\u2019t wait\u2026 because I believe that we all deserve the opportunity to be healthy, to be prosperous, to be safe,\u201d said Nixon at her campaign rally.<\/p>\n

Referring to the failed initiative to infuse the department of Homeland Security with an additional $75 million in the U.S. Senate, Nixon lambasted the proposal, arguing the money ought to be spent on providing quality healthcare, accessible childcare and ensuring affordable property insurance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is our money. This is our state. This is our country. And it looks like all of you out here. It does not look like Donald J. Trump,\u201d said Nixon before a cheering crowd.<\/p>\n

Community Support<\/p>\n

\"\"Flagler Alumna Ash Chatmon speaking beside Rep. Nixon. Photo by Logan Johnson.<\/p>\n

Near the tail end of Nixon\u2019s speech, she welcomed Flagler College alum and community organizer Ash Chatmon to the stage with a personal story to tell.<\/p>\n

Chatmon began her story by referencing the 2023 shooting of three black people in Jacksonville by a racist gunman<\/a>. \u201c[When this happened,] I felt in my heart that I wanted to leave Florida as fast as possible. I can\u2019t be here no more,\u201d Chatmon told the crowd.<\/p>\n

However, after attending a rally in response to the tragedy, Chatmon heard Nixon speak \u201cof a world where we live prosperously. Where we have joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew in my heart there was nowhere else I would rather be than in Florida to stay and to fight. And if it was not for Angie shining a light on that I think our community would be a darker place,\u201d Chatmon said.<\/p>\n

The Flagler alumna and community organizer was far from the only rally attendee with a personal appreciation for Nixon.<\/p>\n

Sara Mahmoud, a second-generation Palestinian immigrant and community activist was one of several speakers to take the stage before Nixon\u2019s appearance.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor far too long our communities have been left to the sidelines, faced xenophobia, Islamophobia and racism alone,\u201d Mahmoud said.<\/p>\n

After Hamas\u2019 attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Nixon\u2019s response broke radically from other Florida Democrats.<\/p>\n

\u201cAngie saw our struggle and reached her hand out to build unity with Arab, Muslim and Palestinian communities and for that I thank her deeply,\u201d said Mahmoud, referring to Nixon\u2019s 2023 resolution in the Florida house calling for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel \u2013 which was voted down 104-2.<\/p>\n

On the outskirts of Nixon\u2019s block party rally was a graffiti artist at work painting a mural of the representative with her fist held high.<\/p>\n

Viktor Alexander, former servicemember turned artist of three years, was the man behind the piece.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like Angie is a member of the community where you can see the energy she exudes in her truth \u2013 so I felt like that aligned with the things that I draw,\u201d Alexander said when asked about his inspiration behind the mural.<\/p>\n

\"\"Viktor Alexander painting Angie Nixon. Photo by Logan Johnson.<\/p>\n

The Election Ahead<\/p>\n

If Nixon has hopes of leaving Tallahassee for D.C., she\u2019ll first have to secure her party\u2019s nomination in the democratic primary, slated for Aug. 18, 2026. Such a task may be complicated by the entry of Alexander Vindman \u2013 the key whistleblower in 2019 that lead to Trump\u2019s first impeachment \u2013 into the race.<\/p>\n

If she gains the Florida Democratic Party\u2019s blessing, Nixon will face off against Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) in the general election, who was Florida Gov. Ron Desantis\u2019 appointee to fill former Senator Marco Rubio\u2019s vacant seat after he was appointed Secretary of State following Trump\u2019s return to the White House.<\/p>\n


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