Florida Senate Special: Moody Defeats Nixon in Rubio's Vacated Seat
Republican Ashley Moody secured victory in the special election, ending a Democratic bid to break a 14-year losing streak in the state.
By Alessia Romano ·
Ashley Moody won the special election for the U.S. Senate seat in Florida on Tuesday.
The Republican defeated Democrat Angie Nixon in the race to fill the vacancy left by Marco Rubio. Rubio moved to President Donald Trump’s Cabinet earlier this year. Moody will serve the remaining two years of the term that Rubio won in 2022. The seat will appear on the ballot again in 2028 for a full term.
Moody was considered the heavy favorite before the general election. She held a large fundraising advantage that allowed her to buy extensive television advertising across the state’s 23 million residents. Nixon, a Democrat aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, won the primary in an upset but spent less money on ads during the general campaign.
Nixon campaigned heavily on the ground. She held numerous in-person events and appeared on center-left podcasts. Moody focused on television ads and fewer public appearances. This strategy drew criticism from some Democrats who accused Moody of avoiding direct interaction with voters.
Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, criticized Moody at an October news conference in Tallahassee. Fried urged Moody to show up and talk to the people she represents. A sign at the event asked where Moody was. Despite the criticism, the attack did not prevent Moody from winning the office.
Moody’s campaign centered on Nixon’s political ties. Ads highlighted policies associated with the DSA, such as abolishing the police. Nixon publicly stated she did not want to abolish the police. Moody also faced questions about the Hope Florida scandal, a $10 million Medicaid settlement directed to a charity tied to Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis. Moody, then the state attorney general, signed off on the deal. She denied wrongdoing, and no charges were brought after a grand jury review.
The state’s voting landscape has shifted dramatically. Florida now has 1.5 million more registered Republicans than Democrats. Moody had previously won two statewide elections for attorney general. Governor Ron DeSantis appointed her to the Senate seat after Rubio left for the federal government.
