Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
· collected 2026-08-19 · by Al Jazeera Staff
The article reports on the results of Florida's primary elections held on Tuesday, highlighting key takeaways from the contests under the state's newly redrawn congressional map. Progressive candidate Angie Nixon defeated former national security official Alexander Vindman in their Senate primary race, a major upset for the Democratic Party. The result continues a pattern seen in other Democratic primaries this year where progressive candidates have beaten more established and heavily funded opponents. Republican Congressman Byron Donalds won the nomination for governor with President Trump's backing, potentially becoming Florida's first Black governor.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Florida Primary Results
- Angie Nixon projected winner in Florida Democratic Senate primary
+ NBC News projects that Angie Nixon will win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Florida.
- Jolly thanks supporters after projected win in Florida Democratic gubernatorial primary
+ Charlie Crist is projected to win the Democratic nomination for Governor of Florida.
- Rep. Donalds celebrates projected win in Florida GOP governor primary
+ Rep. Matt Gaetz's ally, Rep. Byron Donalds, is projected to win the Republican nomination for Governor of Florida.
Takeaways from Tuesday Primaries
- Trump endorsement can't lift Mills
+ Embattled and scandal-ridden Republican Rep. Cory Mills lost his reelection bid in Florida Tuesday.
- GOP Rep. Cory Mills loses his Florida primary amid investigations
+ NBC News projects that Ryan Elijah, a former TV news anchor and NFL sideline reporter, will win the Republican nomination for Congress in Florida's 7th District.
Socialist Movement Gains Ground
- Socialists capture major Florida victory on hit-or-miss night for Trump-endorsed primary candidates
+ A socialist, Angie Nixon, is projected to win the Democratic Senate primary in Florida.
- Sunshine State socialist scores shocking Senate upset despite being heavily outspent
+ Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member and Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon scored a massive upset in the state's Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
Other Primary Results
- GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan, Democrat Mary Peltola advance to Alaska Senate race
+ Senator Dan Sullivan is projected to win the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Alaska.
- Wasserman Schultz wins Florida’s 20th District Democratic primary, NBC News projects
+ Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is projected to win the Democratic nomination for Congress in Florida's 20th District.
Investigations and Controversies
- Mills faces a House Ethics Committee investigation; a judge issued a restraining order against him last year after he was accused by his former girlfriend of threatening to distribute sexually explicit videos of her.
- The loss makes him the latest member of a relatively rare set of Republican candidates who lost GOP primaries even with Trump’s blessing.
Written for “Florida Primary Election Results” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 19 other(s) covering the same event.
Florida’s primary elections have been a mixed bag of surprises and expected outcomes, highlighting the tensions in both major US parties as they prepare for November’s midterm elections.
asserted
they → expect → elections
The contests held on Tuesday were the first conducted under the state’s newly redrawn congressional map, which observers say was designed to favour Republicans and could leave Democrats with a minuscule number of Florida’s 28 House seats.
uncertain
observers → hold → seats
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asserted
Democrats → warn → results
Democrats finalise major shakeup to 2028 presidential primary calendar
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Democrats → finalise → calendar
The results produced a major upset within the Democratic Party, as progressive state lawmaker Angie Nixon defeated the much better-funded former national security official Alexander Vindman in their Senate primary race.
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Nixon → produce → race
Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Byron Donalds won the nomination for governor with President Donald Trump’s backing, putting him on course to potentially become Florida’s first Black governor.
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Donalds → win → course
Progressive wins in major upset
Nixon’s victory over Vindman is another sign that progressive candidates are starting to break through against better-funded establishment rivals.
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candidates → start → rivals
Nixon, a state lawmaker and former labour activist, raised less than $1m, while Vindman outraised her by more than 16 to 1.
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Vindman → raise → 16
Vindman was nationally known for his testimony during Trump’s first impeachment hearing in 2019, while Nixon had built her profile in Florida politics and among progressives.
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Nixon → build → progressives
She was backed by prominent progressive figures, including Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
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She → back → Omar
Her victory continues a pattern seen in other Democratic primaries this year, where progressive candidates have defeated more established and heavily funded opponents.
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candidates → continue → opponents
Nixon will now face Republican Senator Ashley Moody in November in a special election for the final two years of former Senator Marco Rubio’s term.
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Nixon → face → term
Rubio vacated the seat after becoming Trump’s secretary of state.
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Rubio → vacate → state
But the Tuesday primaries didn’t all go the way of the Democratic Socialists.
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primaries → go → Socialists
In another Florida primary, union organiser Oliver Larkin was defeated by incumbent Democrat Congressman Jared Moskowitz in a new Republican-friendly district.
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Larkin → defeat → district
In another sigh of relief for establishment Democrats, longtime US Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz easily won the most contentious race, beating Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and three other Black candidates in a plurality-Black district.
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Schultz → win → district
Cherfilus-McCormick had resigned earlier this year under a pending federal indictment and the threat of House ethics sanctions but wanted her seat back.
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McCormick → resign → seat
Trump-backed Donalds wins
Republicans had a clearer result in the governor’s race, where Trump-backed Congressman Byron Donalds won the nomination to succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis.
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Donalds → back → DeSantis
Donalds is now set to face Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican who later became an independent before joining the Democratic Party.
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who → set → Party
If Donalds wins in November, he would become Florida’s first Black governor.
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he → win → November
There is currently only one Black governor in the nation, Democrat Wes Moore of Maryland, who is seeking re-election in November.
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who → be → November
Donalds’ win reinforces Trump’s influence over Republican primary voters, but Florida’s political shift to the right remains the bigger factor in the governor’s race.
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shift → reinforce → race
Cory Mills becomes another Republican incumbent to fall
Republican Congressman Cory Mills lost his primary to former television news anchor Ryan Elijah, ending Mills’ bid for a third term.
Mills had been facing ethics investigations and allegations of misconduct, which had made his re-election increasingly difficult.
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election → become → misconduct
Trump had initially backed Mills in February but did not include him in a list of endorsements on Monday.
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Trump → back → Monday
Far-right Randy Fine keeps his seat
The incumbent overcame challenges from a slew of candidates to secure the Republican primary nomination for Florida’s 6th Congressional District.
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incumbent → keep → District
Since being elected to Congress last year, Trump ally Representative Fine has come to symbolise anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian rhetoric in mainstream US politics.
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Fine → elect → politics
The staunchly pro-Israel legislator suggested last year that all Muslims should be destroyed.
uncertain
Muslims → suggest → ?
He has cheered the starvation of children in Gaza and has called on Israel to use nuclear weapons against the Palestinian territory.
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He → cheer → territory
He faced a crowded pool of challengers, including, most notably, internet personality Daniel Bilzerian, who himself has faced accusations of anti-Semitism.
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who → face → Semitism
