With Election Day just a week away, Florida voters will decide a high-profile race for the U.S. Senate. The special election pits incumbent Republican Ashley Moody against Democratic challenger Angie Nixon, with independent candidate Neil Gillespie also on the ballot.
WATCH REPORT BELOW: Florida's Senate Race: What voters need to know before Election Day
Why This Election Is Different
This is a special election to fill the remainder of former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's term. Rubio left the Senate after becoming U.S. Secretary of State, and Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Ashley Moody to the seat in January 2025.
The winner will serve the final two years of Rubio's term, meaning the seat will be on the ballot again in 2028.
Ashley Moody's Campaign
Moody, a former two-term Florida attorney general from Plant City, is running as the incumbent Republican. She has highlighted her background as a federal prosecutor, judge and attorney general, frequently emphasizing law enforcement and public safety issues.
During a recent campaign stop in Martin County with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Moody pointed to President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" and touted tax cuts enacted during his administration.
Moody has framed the race starkly, telling voters the election is a choice between "safety or chaos" and "freedom or socialism."
Angie Nixon's Campaign
Democratic challenger Angie Nixon is a state representative and labor organizer from Jacksonville.
Nixon emerged from a competitive Democratic primary, defeating a more centrist opponent who significantly outraised her campaign.
A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Nixon has campaigned alongside U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and supports policies including a $25 minimum wage and Medicare for All.
Throughout her campaign, Nixon has focused on affordability and economic issues, arguing working families are struggling with rising costs while politicians benefit from the current system.
The Political Landscape
Florida has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2012, presenting a difficult path for Nixon.
Recent polling shows Moody holding a narrow lead of about four percentage points heading into the final week of the campaign.
Gillespie is also running for the seat without party affiliation.
What's Next?
With early voting underway and Election Day approaching, the race remains one of the most closely watched contests in Florida. The outcome will determine who represents the state in the Senate for the next two years before voters return to the polls for the seat again in 2028.