Nixon’s The One: Florida Dems Flip Socialist (Sorta) And Former Republican

Top Two Ballot Spots Might Seem At Odds, But Pragmatic Candidates Say, “Not So Much”

“If wanting your neighbor to afford their insulin is radical, then call me a radical. If believing a mother shouldn’t have to work three jobs just to keep a roof over their heads is extreme, then call me extreme.”

— Angie Nixon, Florida Democratic Nominee for U.S. Senate

By Paul Rosenberg, Senior Editor

One week after a democratic socialist candidate narrowly lost the governor’s primary race in Wisconsin, another one, Angie Nixon, soundly won by double digits in Florida’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary race. That should put an end to the notion it’s just a New York City or an urban coastal phenomena, and maybe start folks paying attention to what’s actually happening on the ground.

While the corporate media, amplifying GOP attacks, pelted Nixon with questions about the socialist label, her victory speech made it crystal clear what her campaign had been about.

“We showed the world what organized people can accomplish,” she began. “And we showed the world what the people of Florida are all about: Medicare for all. Universal childcare. Affordable housing. Fully funded public education. And an end to senseless wars.”

She was also clear about who she was and how it shaped her politics. “I was a single mom for 12 years. I know what it’s like to struggle,” she said on Democracy Now! “I don’t want anyone to have to struggle the way I did.”

That’s what she’s against. As for what she’s for, she said, “We need to make sure that hardworking, everyday people get to shape what their communities look like and what their economies look like. And that’s my — that’s my mantra. That’s my motto. And that’s what I’m fighting for each and every day.”

Nixon — a Black former single mom who, like Wisconsin’s Francesca Hong, was only a state representative — pulled off what was hailed as the biggest upset in Florida politics in at least a generation. She overcame a more than 16-1 fundraising disadvantage to beat an opponent — Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman — who was nationally famous for standing up to Trump, as the key witness against him in his first impeachment. This shows just being anti-Trump isn’t enough. You have to be for something people can believe in and people have to believe in you — that you’ll walk the walk not just talk the talk. Nixon has a long history of doing that — including as statewide coordinator for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) — which is why she won.

Despite Nixon winning such an historic upset, the corporate media’s first instinct was that it was a bad thing. It had to spell trouble, especially for the Democrat’s nominee for governor, former GOP Rep. David Jolly. But unlike some never-Trumpers, Jolly is a pragmatist, first and foremost.

When asked on MSNOW if Floridians would vote for him, a former Republican and Nixon, a democratic socialist, he simply said, “We’re going to find out,” and went on to stress what he and Nixon had in common.

“I have been with Angie on the trail and I’ll tell you this,” Jolly said, “She’s a fighter. She leaves it all on the field. She goes into every room talking about what I talk about: can we improve your access to housing, affordable housing, to healthcare … to educate your kids. What is it the government can do when the private sector is unable to improve your life.” Summing up, he said, “Angie’s out there fighting for the same values,” even as he acknowledged, “She and I have a very different approach.”

They appeal to different voters as well, even as both won solid majorities. Nixon ran strongest with younger voters and Black voters, while Jolly ran strongest with older white voters. Given that Jolly faces two Black opponents in November, he needs Nixon every bit as much as she needs him.

The crucial point both are making is that Democrats are united in trying to make things better for people. Republicans have just given up. Healthcare is a prime example: They’ve had 15 years to come up with an alternative to Obamacare, and have yet to come up with it. Instead, they’re just making it harder and more expensive for people to benefit from it — which makes it relatively easy for Democrats and independents of all persuasions to come together in opposition, in order to get something done.

When Nixon was pelted with questions about national DSA policies that have drawn the most fire, she had no trouble distinguishing her position, because she’s a lifelong organizer with a deep understanding of organizational and coalitional politics. She had joined DSA, as well as the Working Families Party, during the campaign because they were working on similar core goals. She did so “because I appreciate certain parts of their platform,” she told Democracy Now! “Do I agree with all of it? No, I don’t. And I don’t agree with everything in the Democratic Party, as well.”

Simple as that. Those are the words of a seasoned organizer who doesn’t get distracted from the work in front of her.

“We know the attacks are coming,” Nixon said in her acceptance speech. “It’s easier to try to make voters afraid of me than to defend the choices they keep making to make our lives harder. They look at this movement and they call us extreme. They call us radical. But I think people see through that. I won’t let them define me.”