Ashley Moody has defeated Democrat Angie Nixon in Florida’s special Senate election, keeping the seat in Republican hands. The victory was projected after voters went to the polls to choose who would serve the final two years of Marco Rubio’s Senate term.
Moody, a Republican senator from Florida, entered the race as the clear favorite. She faced Nixon, a Democratic state lawmaker who had gained national attention after winning an unexpected victory in the Democratic primary. Despite the interest in Nixon’s campaign, she struggled to match Moody’s large financial advantage.
The result keeps the Republican Party in control of a Senate seat it has held for years. Florida has become a strong state for Republicans in recent elections. Democrats hoped Nixon could change that trend and give their party a new chance to compete statewide.
Moody will serve the remaining two years of the term Rubio won in 2022. The seat will return to voters in 2028, when candidates will compete for a full six-year term.
Nixon’s primary victory had raised hopes among progressives across the country. Her campaign drew attention from voters who wanted a stronger left-wing voice in national politics. Democrats also viewed her as a chance to rebuild their support in Florida, where the party has not won a Senate race since 2012.
However, the national interest did not lead to an election victory. Nixon faced a major gap in campaign funds. Moody used her financial strength to run a large advertising campaign across Florida. The state has about 23 million people, and reaching voters across such a wide area requires a large amount of money.
Moody’s campaign focused on a traditional Republican message. She presented Nixon as too far to the left for Florida voters. Her team also pointed to the state’s changing voter numbers. Republicans now have about 1.5 million more registered voters than Democrats. This marks a major change from past years, when Democrats held a voter registration advantage.
Campaign ads played a key role in Moody’s message. Several focused on the policies linked to the Democratic Socialists of America. Nixon had support from people connected to the group, but she later tried to distance herself from some of its positions.
One Moody campaign ad called Nixon a socialist. It also linked her to ideas such as ending police departments. Nixon rejected that position and said she did not want to abolish the police.
Moody also faced questions about her own record during the campaign. Critics raised concerns about her connection to the Hope Florida case. The issue involved $10 million from a Medicaid settlement that was directed to a charity linked to Casey DeSantis, the wife of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
A political committee later used the money to fight a 2024 ballot measure that aimed to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida. At the time, Moody served as the state’s attorney general and had to approve the deal.
Moody denied any wrongdoing in the matter. A state prosecutor later called a grand jury to review the case, but no criminal charges were filed.
Nixon also tried to make Moody’s limited public campaign events an issue. Moody declined to take part in a debate and held fewer public events than her Democratic rival. Nixon, in contrast, traveled across the state and met voters in person.
She also appeared often in Florida media and on podcasts with center-left audiences. Her campaign argued that voters deserved more chances to hear directly from Moody.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried also criticized Moody for avoiding public questions. Fried urged the Republican senator to meet voters and explain her record. At a news conference in Tallahassee, Democrats used a sign that asked, “Where is Ashley Moody?”
Fried said Moody should follow Nixon’s example by speaking directly to the public instead of relying on campaign attacks. However, the criticism did not appear to change the race enough to stop Moody’s victory.
The election was also an important test for Moody. She had won two statewide elections as Florida’s attorney general, but this was her first time running for a Senate seat. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her after Rubio left the Senate to join President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
Moody’s victory now gives Republicans another two years of control over the seat. For Democrats, Nixon’s loss is a setback in a state where the party has struggled to win major statewide contests. Her strong primary result showed that progressive candidates can draw attention, but the general election showed the challenge of turning that interest into votes.
The 2028 Senate race will offer Democrats another chance to challenge the Republican hold on the seat. For now, Moody’s win strengthens the GOP’s position in Florida and continues the state’s recent shift toward Republican control.
