Florida Democrats had barely finished choosing their statewide candidates Tuesday night before the arguing started.
Former Republican congressman David Jolly won the Democrat nomination for governor, while state Rep. Angie Nixon pulled off a major upset in the Democrat primary for U.S. Senate. Nixon belongs to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Jolly wants Florida voters to know that he does not.
The subject came up during Jolly’s election-night interview on “All In.” Asked whether Florida could elect him governor and Nixon to the Senate at the same time, Jolly bolted for the exit.
"I REJECT SOCIALISM:" Florida Democrat gubernatorial nominee David Jolly distances himself from the DSA member at the top of his ticket, Senate Democrat nominee Angie Nixon pic.twitter.com/kNognYxvSQ
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) August 19, 2026
“Well, we’re going to find out. We’re going to find out. Look, I reject the DSA. I reject socialism. I’m a capitalist, and I think capitalism provides the greatest amount of economic mobility.”
Jolly followed that with a few kind words about Nixon. He called her a fighter and said they talk about many of the same problems, including housing, healthcare, and education.
“Angie’s out there fighting for those same values. I think she and I have a very different approach to this. But look, I reject socialism. I’m a capitalist. We’ll see how Florida’s voters sort that out in November.”
By the end of the 54-second answer, Jolly had rejected socialism twice. Nixon, who will appear beside him on the statewide ballot, is a DSA member.
Alex Vindman was supposed to win the Senate primary. The former National Security Council aide became nationally known during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, and the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) recruited him for the race. He raised approximately $16.3 million. Nixon raised about $975,000.
The final tally was not close. Nixon won 55.9 percent and 690,172 votes. Vindman received 44.1 percent and 543,688 votes.
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Vindman spent much of the primary attacking Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL) and never debated Nixon. Nixon then beat him by nearly 147,000 votes.
Vindman left election night with 44.1 percent of the vote and a concession statement. He acknowledged that Nixon “ran a strong campaign” and promised to support her against Moody.
Nixon's campaign calls for Medicare for All, universal child care, a clean-energy transition, and a five percent annual wealth tax on billionaires. She also supports cutting U.S. military aid to Israel. That is the platform Florida Democrats will be defending in November, in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat statewide since 2018.
Nixon ran through that agenda again in her victory speech.
“We showed the world what organized people can accomplish. And we showed the world what people of Florida are all about. Medicare for all. Universal child care. Real, affordable housing. Fully funded public education. And an end to senseless wars.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and DSCC Chair Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) issued a joint statement backing Nixon after her win, the same night Jolly appeared on television and rejected the DSA and socialism. The party's leaders and its gubernatorial nominee couldn't even stay on the same page through election night.
Moody called the November contest a fight against “the socialists.” Republican Rep. Byron Donalds (FL-19), the Republican gubernatorial nominee, doesn't even need to call Nixon a socialist. Jolly already did it for him.
Florida voters will get Jolly, the capitalist, and Nixon, the DSA member, on the same statewide Democratic ballot. The party has until November to explain how that works.
The general election had barely started, and Florida Democrats were already fighting over socialism.
Editor's Note: The Democrat Party has been infected by socialism, and it's spreading FAST. Democrats are claiming there's nothing to worry about, but we know the truth.
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