Angie Nixon’s historic bid for U.S. Senate seat in Florida comes up short

The Jacksonville Democrat campaigned on Medicare for All, a national rent freeze and a wealth tax on billionaires.

Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon’s bid to become the state’s first Black U.S. senator has come up short, with Republican Sen. Ashley Moody projected to win the special election, according to the Associated Press.

Moody was leading Nixon by approximately one percentage point with 90% of the vote counted, according to the AP. Decision Desk HQ projected Moody as the winner at 8 p.m. ET. CNN also projected Moody’s victory.

The contest was a long shot for Democrats in a state that has increasingly leaned Republican. Still, Nixon’s campaign drew national attention after she pulled off an upset in the Democratic primary, defeating Alex Vindman despite being significantly outspent.

Nixon, a three-term state lawmaker and former union organizer, ran on an ambitious economic agenda that included Medicare for All, a national rent freeze and an eviction moratorium. She also advocated for a wealth tax on billionaires, universal child care and stronger protections for workers seeking to organize.

Her pitch was straightforward: working families are struggling, and the federal government should do more than offer temporary relief. Nixon’s platform also called for protecting Social Security, Medicare and SNAP from cuts.

The race carried historic significance. Nixon was seeking to become the first Black person elected to represent Florida in the U.S. Senate, a milestone that would have expanded Black representation in a chamber that has historically lacked it.

Moody, who was appointed to the seat after Marco Rubio left to become U.S. Secretary of State, campaigned on public safety and economic prosperity.

With Moody’s projected victory, Republicans retain the Florida Senate seat as Democrats continue their effort to regain control of the chamber.

Nixon’s campaign may not have delivered a Senate seat, but it put a distinct economic agenda before Florida voters and offered a reminder that representation and policy are often inseparable.