Florida Republicans are hitting the usual campaign themes this general election: smaller government, lower taxes and more.
But they’ve also found a new rallying cry: Democrats’ nomination of democratic socialist Angie Nixon for U.S. Senate.
At Thursday's Republican Party of Florida Victory Rally, speakers were quick to mention the nomination. And they mentioned it a lot.
"I think it divides Democrats," said U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida’s Republican nominee for governor, after the rally in response to a question from WUSF. "I think it puts more pressure on them here in Florida. Are they going to continue down the line of socialism? Is that where Democrat voters want to go?"
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Also responding to the question, incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody acknowledged Nixon's primary win against a more centrist candidate, Alex Vindman, did change GOP messaging.
"I don't look at this as a gift," said Moody. Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, she faces Nixon as she seeks a full Senate term. "I look at this as a calling to stand up to that nonsense, that dangerous rhetoric."
Republicans on Thursday also repeatedly linked Nixon to David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for Florida governor.
"I don't see them very different," RPOF Chair Evan Power told WUSF. "I think David Jolly tries to pretend to be a moderate. Angie Nixon's saying what he wants, how he will govern. So I think they complement each other very well on the Democrat angle. They are socialists, and it's either socialism or patriotism. That's the choice this election."
Yet Jolly is running a more centrist campaign than Nixon. In an interview with MS Now, Jolly said he rejects socialism and rejects the Democratic Socialists of America. Jolly's a former Republican U.S. representative who left the party over Trump.
Nixon has joined the DSA, which hasn't endorsed her.
But Jolly didn't reject Nixon.
"I have been with Angie on the trail, and I'll tell you this, she's a fighter; she leaves it all on the field," Jolly said.
"She goes in every room talking about what I talk about," he continued. "Can we improve your access to housing, affordable housing, to health care. Do you know where to educate your kids? What is it that government can do where the private sector is unable to to improve your life?”
He acknowledged they have a "very different approach."
In response to a request from WUSF, a Jolly spokesperson shared a CNN interview in which he said, "I didn't see Angie litigating a DSA agenda in those rooms for the last year and a half. I saw her litigating an economic agenda for people who are hurting."
"Angie is a Democrat who says we're gonna fight for everybody" -- David Jolly gives Angie Nixon "great credit" for staying focused on the economy and says he doesn't think her more leftist views hurts his campaign at all pic.twitter.com/5ttWBhgsIv
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 20, 2026
And in interviews, Nixon has said she's not a socialist and disagrees with parts of the DSA platform. But she said she joined because the group fights for things like Medicare for All and affordable housing.
"Ashley Moody can call it whatever she wants," Nixon said in her primary victory speech. "She can call us whatever she wants, but in November she will call me senator."
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
