Two Democrats are running in the Aug. 18 primary in hopes of unseating Republican Florida Sen. Ashley Moody, the former state attorney general who Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed last year to take Marco Rubio\u2019s place when he became U.S. secretary of state. <\/p>\n
At the Florida Democratic Party\u2019s annual summit Saturday in Lake Buena Vista, Senate hopeful Alex Vindman stressed the importance of the \u201cbig tent\u201d inclusivity within the Democratic Party to winning in November. Vindman, who rose to national prominence as a whistleblower in President Donald Trump\u2019s 2019 impeachment<\/a> inquiry, spoke moments after being rushed inside a convention center while dodging supporters of his primary opponent, the progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville. <\/p>\n Among Nixon\u2019s supporters were Jacksonville activist and podcaster Jamil Davis and Brit Robinson, a Democratic Socialist who\u2019s running against Rep. Aaron Bean in Northeast Florida\u2019s 4th District, who showed up to demand answers from the retired military officer about American military support of Israel and military action in Iran.<\/p>\n Vindman\u2019s remarks on Saturday were some of his most extensive explanations of his policy positions since entering the race in January 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cThat, to me, is what I am ultimately fighting for. (I\u2019m) making sure that people across Florida, across the political spectrum, across every group, have someone who is going to represent their interests,\u201d Vindman said. \u201cThey can pick up the phone, talk to, know that someone is going to be responsive to their interests. That is not what we have at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Who is running for U.S. Senate?<\/p>\n Moody is the prohibitive favorite in the Republican primary. In order to face her, Vindman or Nixon must win the Democratic primary.<\/p>\n See Rep. Angie Nixon\u2019s July 2026 appearance on WJCT News 89.9\u2019s First Coast Connect.<\/p>\n Vindman has never held elected office. He touts his military career as evidence that he can provide a check and balance on the federal executive branch.<\/p>\n Vindman says Democratic control of the U.S. Senate is one way to wind down the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and he is committed to a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very much concerned about a policy that undermines a two-state solution. That includes this idea of settlers infringing on the viability of a state. I have been consistently critical of a (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu administration that has undermined a two-state solution. I think this war has gone on too long. And, frankly, (it\u2019s) a war that should have wound down a long time ago. I\u2019m committed to the security of the state of Israel. \u2026You can do both of those things.\u201d<\/p>\n Vindman also laid out a three-pronged immigration policy:<\/p>\n Provide \u201clegal status\u201d to young adults who qualify as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals<\/a> (DACA). They are adults who illegally entered the U.S. as children who arrived with parents or family members. Currently, these adults, also known as Dreamers, do not have work permits.<\/p>\n \u00a0Keeping Temporary Protected Status<\/a> for immigrants \u201cas long as conditions haven\u2019t changed.\u201d<\/p>\n Swift trials of those who are accused of violating immigration laws.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have an obligation, as a sovereign nation, to secure our borders. We have to understand who is coming in for the security of the nation. But, it doesn\u2019t have to be in the cruel and corrupt manner we are seeing from this administration,\u201d Vindman said. <\/p>\n Vindman claimed corruption within the billionaire class leads to fuel, food and insurance price increases for Floridians.<\/p>\n He also expressed a commitment to voting for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act<\/a>. Vindman referred to Florida\u2019s mid-decade redistricting as \u201cengineered divisions\u201d from the Florida Legislature.<\/p>\n Florida has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2012, and it\u2019s been 40 years since a Florida Democrat beat an incumbent Republican in a U.S. Senate race.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to win,\u201d Vindman said. \u201cIf we don\u2019t do that, the state and country may end up being unrecognizable. My biggest qualification, between my biography and my service and my working-class roots \u2013 my family came here as refugees \u2013 I think I have a unique resonance to connect to the electorate and have enough folks come behind us to deliver a win.\u201d<\/p>\n Nixon has made a name for herself as a firebrand in the Florida Legislature who\u2019s been reprimanded for using a bullhorn on the floor<\/a> and arrested for protesting<\/a> outside of Gov. DeSantis\u2019 office. She seeks to become the first Jaxson to serve in the U.S. Senate in 90 years. She views her candidacy as returning power to working-class Floridians.<\/p>\n \u201cI am the only candidate in this race that\u2019s willing to give a voice to the people, that\u2019s willing to listen to the people, willing to listen to uplift their concerns because I\u2019m the only one that\u2019s willing to talk to them, to hear what their concerns are,\u201d Nixon says.<\/p>\n Both Democrats have their work cut out for them. According to a statewide University of North Florida poll of registered voters, released July 20, Moody leads both Democrats.<\/p>\n Moody leads Vindman by 10 percentage points, 50% to 40% with 7% of respondents undecided. Moody leads Nixon by eight percentage points, 50% to 42% with 6% undecided.<\/p>\n