Socialist Wins Upset Victory in Florida Democratic Senate Primary, Defeating Famous Trump Impeachment Witness

A member of the Democratic Socialists of America is now Democrats’ nominee for the U.S. Senate in Florida this year after she won an upset victory over Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who was a key witness during the first impeachment inquiry into President Trump. The socialist in question, state representative Angie Nixon, was heavily outspent in the primary. Colonel Vindman first won fame and adulation in 2019 when he testified in uniform before the House of Representatives about Mr. Trump’s call with President Zelensky earlier that summer. During that call, Mr. Trump asked Mr. Zelensky to open an investigation into President Biden, who at the time was seen as the strongest possible general election candidate for Democrats in the forthcoming 2020 general election. On Tuesday, Ms. Nixon, who represents the heart of Jacksonville, was declared the winner by a margin of about 12 points. “We showed the world what organized people can accomplish!” Ms. Nixon told her supporters at a victory party on Tuesday night, highlighting her support for universal childcare, Medicare for All, and an end to foreign wars. “In November we are going to show again what happens when everyday people come together around a shared vision for our collective future.”Ms. Nixon, a registered member of the Democratic Socialists of America, was heavily outspent in the primary campaign. The result clearly came as a surprise to much of the Florida Democratic establishment given Colonel Vindman had scheduled a general fundraiser at Nantucket this coming weekend. Colonel Vindman spent more than ten times on the primary campaign than Ms. Nixon did. According to polls, Ms. Nixon is a significant underdog headed into her general election contest with Senator Ashley Moody, who was appointed to the Senate last year to fill the seat of secretary of state Marco Rubio. The most recent public polls show Ms. Nixon trailing Ms. Moody by anywhere from eight to 12 points. Though Ms. Nixon is unlikely to pull out a win in November, her victory over Colonel Vindman — a well-known figure among the Democratic Party’s base — speaks to an increasingly anti-establishment, left-wing sentiment among the party. Ms. Nixon was especially outspoken about Israel, calling for an end to American aid to the Jewish state. She was endorsed by some of the most left-wing members of the House, including Congressman Maxwell Frost and Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar. Whether or not Ms. Nixon wins in the fall, socialists will have an outsized role in the Democratic caucuses on Capitol Hill beginning next year. Several longtime House members have been knocked off by democratic socialists in their primaries, including the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressman Adriano Espaillat.

Socialist Wins Upset Victory in Florida Democratic Senate Primary, Defeating Famous Trump Impeachment Witness

Socialist Wins Upset Victory in Florida Democratic Senate Primary, Defeating Famous Trump Impeachment Witness

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