Florida Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Angie Nixon is counting on a strong ground game to overcome her GOP opponent, Sen. Ashley Moody’s, lead in the polls and fundraising.
With just over a month until the November election, a survey released by InsiderAdvantage has Moody ahead by seven points, and a super PAC affiliated with her campaign, Stronger Safer Nation, was recently boosted by a $2.5 million donation by Miami-based hedge fund manager Ken Griffen.
Nixon’s camp, however, has played down Moody’s apparent advantage.
“We don’t live and die by any poll because polls don’t vote; people do. Other recent polling shows the race tied neck-and-neck, which is why Ashley Moody is sending panic emails to her rich corporate donors,” Nixon Campaign Manager Eunic Epstein-Ortiz said in a statement to The Caucus. “The reality on the ground is clear: Floridians across the political spectrum are fed up with getting priced out while corrupt politicians like Moody line their own pockets. While Ashley Moody relies on corporate super PACs, our campaign is powered by a broad, working-class coalition.”
Epstein-Ortiz added that the campaign had met their fundraising targets mostly through small-dollar donations.
According to campaign finance statements, in the second quarter of the year Nixon raised $410,000, compared to the $3.6 million raised by Moody during the same period. But that was before Nixon unexpectedly won the Democratic nomination. Updated reports are due on Oct. 15.
While contributions to campaigns are capped at $3,500, individuals can donate an unlimited amount to super PACs. Under federal law, super PACs cannot directly coordinate with a campaign.
This week, it emerged Sen. Bernie Sanders donated $250,000 to the Florida Democratic Party. Nixon, like Sanders, is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America and defeated Alex Vindman, who was backed by establishment party figures, in the Democratic primary in August.
After decades of being considered a swing state, Florida in recent years has shifted red. Governor Ron DeSantis won re-election in 2022 by nearly 20 points, and President Trump carried Florida for a third consecutive time in 2024 by over 13 points.
However, concerns about the economy and the ongoing war in Iran has provided Democrats an opening in several Republican-held states. In Texas, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is leading in the polls and in Kansas, Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton is neck and neck with Sen. Roger Marshall in that Senate race.
Democrats need to pick up four seats in order to take control of the Senate.
(Photo: State Rep. Angie Nixon, via Angie Nixon for Florida Facebook)