Florida Democrats hope to unseat Moody in the U.S. Senate as August primary heats up

News and commentary for Floridians and other thoughtful Americans

When former Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott edged out incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in 2018, it marked the end of the state’s bipartisan representation in the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Nelson had anchored the seat for 18 years, but he couldn’t withstand the avalanche of Scott’s money in that year’s campaign, although it still was close.

Scott won by a fraction of a percentage point—50.05 percent to 49.93 percent, a race so narrow there was an automatic recount of the ballots.

And that’s after Scott outspent his Democratic opponent by a margin of nearly 3-1, $83.7 million versus Nelson’s $31.1 million.

Oh, and of Scott’s massive total, he spent $63.5 million of his own money.

Said another way, were he not so rich, Scott wouldn’t have won. And this is how you buy a seat in the United States Senate.

Scott’s not up for re-election this year, but there will be a special election to fill the Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio, who resigned to become Secretary of State in 2025.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill in until this coming midterm election, and she is running on the Republican ticket as the incumbent. Although she has drawn primary opponents, she is seen as the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination.

This is the playing field that Democratic candidates hoping to reclaim a seat in the Senate are dealing with, and a handful of candidates have emerged who will compete with one another in the Aug. 18 primary election.

The latest entry was announced today:

Retired Lt. Col. Alex Vindman. He’s an Army veteran and, if the name sounds familiar, it should. He’s the whistleblower who triggered the first impeachment of Donald Trump when he disclosed Trump’s demands that Ukraine investigate Joe Biden.

In his announcement, Vindman criticized Trump’s “thug militias” in Minnesota and the president’s “reign of terror” in America.

He had strong words for his potential November opponent, Moody. According to the Miami Herald:

Vindman also criticized Moody’s stock trades, corruption in Washington and billionaires profiting from the Trump administration in his campaign advertisement. He touts his experience as a 21-year Army veteran and lieutenant colonel. He is also the former director for European Affairs on the National Security Council.

Vindman was born in Ukraine and immigrated to Brooklyn, N.Y., at the age of 3. He served 21 years in the Army, including a tour in Iraq where he was wounded by an improvised explosive device.

He will face a growing field of Democrats also aspiring for the Senate seat including:

Angie Nixon, a Democratic state representative from Jacksonville, announced her candidacy last week. She cited the state’s “affordability crisis” in her announcement, focusing on housing costs, property insurance and the general cost of living.

Nixon has represented Florida's 13th District in Jacksonville since 2020 and previously announced in October 2025 that she would not seek re-election to her state House seat.

Jennifer Jenkins is a former Brevard County school board member and, according to Florida Phoenix, “founder of an organization designed to weaken conservative influence in local education policy…”

She said in her announcement that she plans to be “fearless about fighting for working people and laser-focused on making Florida more affordable for everyone."

Hector Mujica is a Florida International University grad who has worked for Google in its philanthropy arm for 13 years specializing in disaster relief. As the Miami Herald reported:

“If successful, he’d … be the first Venezuelan-American senator, at a time when Venezuela has become a central part of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.”

Other candidates in the race so far, according to Ballotpedia, include Joey Mendoza Atkins, Paul Ron Cruz, Frank DiMoia, Charles Gould, Alan Grayson, Tamika Lyles, Evelyn McBride, and Dennis Stevens.

The qualifying period for candidates doesn’t end until late April, so it would be unsurprising if more names get added to the list.

It will be an uphill battle for all these candidates given recent history and the mountains of money Republicans are likely to throw into this race. There hasn’t been a Democrat winning a U.S. Senate seat in Florida since 2012, the last time Bill Nelson successfully ran.

Nor, for that matter, have Democrats won a statewide race of any kind in the past seven years.

But with Gov. DeSantis’ term expiring and with Trump’s popularity plummeting, if there ever were a year to turn this around, 2026 will be it.

Related:

Trump whistleblower Alexander Vindman launches U.S. Senate run in Florida

Florida Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon announces challenge to GOP U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody

Who is Jennifer Jenkins? Florida Democrat challenging Sen. Ashley Moody in 2026

Why a Venezuelan-American Democrat says he has a chance in Florida’s Senate race.

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J.C. Bruce is the founder of Tropic Press, a Florida online news service dedicated to sharing news and commentary relevant to Florida readers, whether it originates in the Sunshine State or elsewhere. Bruce is an award-winning former newspaper editor, journalist and author living in Florida, his native state.

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Senate Trivia

Here’s a list of notable U.S. senators from Florida over the years. As you can see, it has been a bipartisan affair (with even one Whig), but, of course, the political philosophies of our major parties have evolved over the years.

Key Florida U.S. Senators (Historical & Recent)

• Rick Scott (R): 2019–Present

• Ashley Moody (R) 2025-Present

• Marco Rubio (R): 2011–2025

• Bill Nelson (D): 2001–2019

• Connie Mack III (R): 1989–2001

• Bob Graham (D): 1987–2005

• Paula Hawkins (R): 1981–1987 (First woman)

• Richard Stone (D): 1975–1981

• Lawton Chiles (D): 1971–1989

• Spessard Holland (D): 1946–1971

• Edward Gurney (R): 1969–1974

• George Smathers (D): 1951–1969

• Claude Pepper (D): 1936–1951

• Charles O. Andrews (D): 1936–1946

• Duncan Fletcher (D): 1909–1936

• Park Trammell (D): 1917–1936

• Nathan P. Bryan (D): 1911–1917

• William James Bryan (D): 1907–1908

• James P. Taliaferro (D): 1899–1911

• Stephen R. Mallory II (D): 1897–1907

• Samuel Pasco (D): 1887–1899

• Wilkinson Call (D): 1879–1897

• Charles W. Jones (D): 1875–1887

• Simon B. Conover (R): 1873–1879

• Abijah Gilbert (R): 1869–1875

• Thomas W. Osborn (R): 1868–1873

• Adonijah S. Welch (R): 1868–1869

• David Levy Yulee (D): 1845–1851, 1855–1861

• Stephen R. Mallory I (D): 1851–1861

• James Westcott (D): 1845–1849

• Jackson Morton (Whig): 1849–1855

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Onward thru the fog

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed if you are a rational person living in the Free State of Florida, but there are plenty of smart, reasonable people just like you here. The purpose of this newsletter and the Tropic Press website is to provide a source of news and commentary that shines a light through this irrational fog.

Thank you for your support as a subscriber. It is invaluable. This is especially so for those of you who have chosen to upgrade to paid subscriptions. Your contributions are making this possible.

J.C. Bruce

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As this newsletter was written, Tropic Press was reaching more than 750,000 subscribers in Florida and elsewhere. With mid-term elections on the horizon, the more people we reach, the more effective we can be in helping turn this country around. You can play a vital role in that effort by sharing this newsletter with friends. If you are reading this as an email, simply forward it. Or you can use the link below. Thanks.

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