Key facts
- Moskowitz has raised $3 million, surpassing Larkin's $1 million in a Florida congressional race.
- Larkin supports ending U.S. aid to Israel and imposing an arms embargo.
- Florida Democrats are pushing back against 'socialist' labels and attempting to label Trump as authoritarian.
- Republicans are warning about far-left policies and labeling Democratic candidates as socialists.
- Andrew Gillum, a progressive, narrowly lost the 2018 gubernatorial race to DeSantis.
- Victoria Doyle is running a progressive campaign against Rep. Lois Frankel, focusing on campaign finance reform.
Progressive candidates are challenging established Democrats in Florida, seeking to energize the party base despite the state's increasing Republican lean. In a congressional race, Moskowitz has surpassed Larkin's fundraising, with policy differences on Israel emerging as a key point of contention. Larkin supports ending U.S. aid to Israel and imposing an arms embargo, while Moskowitz has not engaged in debates due to these positions. The district is diverse, with significant Jewish and Latino populations and a near-even split among party affiliations.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried expressed skepticism about national insurgent trends, emphasizing Florida's unique political landscape shaped by those fleeing authoritarian regimes. Democrats are increasingly pushing back against 'socialist' labels, attempting instead to label President Trump as an authoritarian. However, Florida Republicans are preparing to use similar rhetoric, with speakers at a recent gathering warning about far-left policies. Larkin, however, welcomed the 'socialist' label, suggesting Republicans would apply it broadly and pointing to the Trump administration's own interventions in key economic sectors as evidence of hypocrisy.
Despite Florida's redward shift, progressives see potential to energize the electorate, recalling Andrew Gillum's close 2018 gubernatorial race against DeSantis. That same year, Fried was the last Democrat elected statewide. Republicans now hold a 1.5 million voter registration advantage. Evan Power, chair of the Republican Party of Florida, believes there are no moderate Democrats. David Jolly, a former Republican, faces a challenge from the left by State Rep. Dotie Joseph. Republicans, including Rep. Byron Donalds, are running ads to portray Jolly as far-left.
In the district encompassing Mar-a-Lago, attorney Victoria Doyle is campaigning as a progressive, refusing corporate PAC donations and focusing on reversing the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision. She also criticized Congress for its inaction.