Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon drew thousands of rain-soaked supporters to Ybor City’s Cuban Club on Saturday, ramping up an underdog campaign that has drawn national progressive heavyweights to the Sunshine State.
A steady drizzle soaked the crowd of nearly 2,200 people gathered in the courtyard of The Cuban Club in Ybor City on Saturday, but the rain did little to dampen the energy for the state representative waging a longshot bid against Republican incumbent Ashley Moody for U.S. Senate. Sanders praised Nixon’s surprising primary victory, pointing out that she achieved her party’s nomination despite being heavily outspent and lacking early establishment backing.
There have been many, many hundreds of elections throughout this country in this campaign cycle, but there is one election that seemed to me rather extraordinary.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, via WUSF
Sanders highlighted that there was a candidate in the Democratic primary who faced a fifteen-to-one spending disadvantage yet still forged a grassroots movement of working-class voters. The Vermont independent is backing Nixon as part of his Fighting Oligarchy tour, which includes additional stops in Melbourne, Gainesville, and Tallahassee.
Fundraising Shifts and National Surrogates in Florida
While Moody maintains a polling advantage in the race, recent campaign finance reports show Nixon pulling in $7.9 million, with nearly $5 million arriving from small-dollar donors fueled by Sanders’ endorsement and progressive backing. Sanders’ political committee, Our Revolution, has also contributed $250,000 directly to Nixon’s campaign.
Nixon is not the only high-profile national Democrat descending on Florida to shift the dynamic in a state that has trended Republican in recent cycles. Connecticut U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy announced plans to campaign for Nixon and raise $100,000 into local voter turnout operations, remarking that Democrats would make a major mistake by ceding the state entirely to the GOP. California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna is also scheduled to campaign with Nixon in Orlando later in the month.
Healthcare Policy Disputes and Voter Concerns
During the Tampa rally, Nixon pushed back against Republican attacks labeling her platform as radical, pointing instead to her support for Medicare for All and affordable housing. She criticized Moody over healthcare coverage decisions, arguing that her opponent’s votes contributed to residents losing insurance plans when enhanced federal subsidies expired.
If Ashley Moody cared about people losing their healthcare, she wouldn’t have voted to kick over 400,000 people off of their insurance plans.
State Rep. Angie Nixon, via The Bradenton Times
Moody enters the general election contest defending the Senate seat she received after being appointed in 2025 when Marco Rubio stepped down to join the Cabinet as U.S. Secretary of State. As early voting windows open across the state, both campaigns are working to mobilize voters ahead of the November 3 election.
Tour Itinerary and Local Community Reactions
The joint tour across Florida includes four distinct public appearances over a two-day period, organized to maximize voter outreach in Central and North Florida. The schedule features events in Tampa and Melbourne on Saturday, followed by stops in Gainesville and Tallahassee on Sunday. Organizers scheduled the Tallahassee event at The Moon, situated at 1105 East Lafayette Street. The rally will take place the evening before early voting officially opens in Leon County.
The decision to host the Tampa event at the historic Cuban Club drew sharp criticism from local conservative figures. Dan Weldon, a Republican candidate running for the state House in Hillsborough County, voiced public outrage over the venue choice on social media, arguing that utilizing a facility founded for Cuban-Americans was offensive to local refugees who fled socialism.