By Salma El-Sakka
Republican Sen. Ashley Moody has won the special election for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio in Florida, defeating Democratic candidate Angie Nixon, according to NBC News projections. Moody, a former state attorney general appointed to the seat by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was considered the overwhelming favorite heading into the general election.
Fundraising edge and campaign strategy
Moody leveraged a significant fundraising advantage to dominate airwaves in a state of 23 million people, where advertising costs are seen as critical to victory. She declined to debate Nixon and held fewer public events, drawing criticism from Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried, who accused Moody of hiding from voters.
Nixon's upset primary and progressive appeal
Nixon, aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, scored an upset primary victory that elevated the race nationally and energized progressives. However, she faced a cash disadvantage and Moody's messaging tied her to DSA policies such as "abolishing the police," which Nixon publicly disavowed.
Hope Florida controversy
Moody also faced scrutiny over the Hope Florida scandal, in which $10 million from a Medicaid settlement was directed to a charity linked to first lady Casey DeSantis and later used to oppose a 2024 marijuana legalization ballot measure. As attorney general, Moody signed off on the deal but denied wrongdoing; a grand jury review brought no charges.
Republican dominance continues
The victory extends the GOP's winning streak in Florida, where registered Republicans now outnumber Democrats by 1.5 million. Moody will serve the final two years of Rubio's term, with the seat up for a full term in 2028.
