Socialists capture major Florida victory on hit-or-miss night for Trump-endorsed primary candidates

Primary Election Results Show Mixed Outcomes for Endorsed Candidates Across Florida, Wyoming, and Alaska

Tuesday night's primary elections in Florida, Wyoming, and Alaska featured federal and gubernatorial contests that will influence the composition of Congress and state leadership. Results included victories for several candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump alongside defeats for others, as well as a Democratic primary win by state Representative Angie Nixon over retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman in Florida's U.S. Senate race.

Nixon, a Democratic member of the Democratic Socialists of America representing Jacksonville, defeated Vindman by nearly 12 percentage points. Vindman, who testified during 2019 congressional proceedings related to Trump, held a fundraising advantage with approximately $16.3 million raised compared to Nixon's roughly $1 million. As of July, Vindman had spent about $9 million on the race while Nixon had spent just over $700,000. Nixon will face Republican Senator Ashley Moody in the general election for the seat.

In Florida's Republican gubernatorial primary, Trump-endorsed Representative Byron Donalds secured the nomination with 47 percent of the vote. Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins received 25 percent, and James Fishback received 10.5 percent. Donalds will face former Republican congressman David Jolly, who won the Democratic nomination.

Republican Senator Ashley Moody, also endorsed by Trump, won a special primary to complete the remainder of former Senator Marco Rubio's term ending in 2028. Moody had been appointed to the seat after Rubio joined the Trump administration. Representative Randy Fine, endorsed by Trump in Florida's 6th Congressional District, won reelection.

In Florida's 7th Congressional District, incumbent Representative Cory Mills lost the Republican primary to former television anchor Ryan Elijah. Trump had endorsed Mills in February. Mills faces an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation concerning campaign finance matters, allegations of assault involving a romantic partner, and questions about gifts. Mills has denied the allegations. The district leans Republican.

In Florida's 19th Congressional District, media executive Jim Schwartzel won the Republican primary with 29.1 percent. Catalina Lauf, who received a Trump endorsement the prior week, finished second with 22 percent. Businessman Jim Oberweis placed third with 15.7 percent. Former Representative Madison Cawthorn finished fourth. Schwartzel is expected to win the general election in the Republican-leaning district. Lauf and Oberweis previously competed in Illinois' 14th Congressional District primary in 2020.

In Wyoming's U.S. Senate primary, Trump-endorsed Representative Harriet Hageman defeated cattle rancher Sam Mead, leading 62 percent to 28 percent with 80 percent of votes counted. In the state's gubernatorial primary, state Senator Eric Barlow defeated state Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, 50 percent to 29.7 percent with three-quarters of votes counted. Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray won a five-way primary for the state's at-large House seat with 25 percent, ahead of businessman Steve Freiss at 20.7 percent and Army veteran Kevin Christensen at 17.8 percent. Wyoming has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2006.

In Alaska's nonpartisan Senate primary, incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan finished second and advanced to the general election alongside former Democratic Representative Mary Peltola, who received the most votes. Sullivan faced 15 challengers. The general election will use ranked-choice voting. Trump posted on Truth Social that there were "a lot of great WINS tonight!!!"

In Florida's 20th Congressional District, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz won the Democratic primary against four opponents, including activist Elijah Manley, who finished third. Manley, endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, raised nearly $1 million. Former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness placed second. Former Representative Sheri Cherfilus-McCormick finished fourth after resigning amid federal charges related to disaster-relief funds; she has pleaded not guilty. The district favors Democrats.

In Florida's 25th Congressional District, Representative Jared Moskowitz defeated Oliver Larkin, a Democratic Socialists of America member, 64 percent to 36 percent. Moskowitz described his campaign as centrist. Larkin advocated positions including abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a $25 minimum wage, Supreme Court expansion, ending the Cuba embargo, and statehood for Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Moskowitz stated that voters chose his approach over the challenge from the Democratic Socialists of America. The district leans Republican after redistricting; Moskowitz will face former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer.

These outcomes reflect voter decisions in the listed primaries without uniform patterns across endorsed candidates.