Progressive and Socialist Voices Break Through in Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming Primaries Despite GOP Machine
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Tuesday’s primaries saw Florida Democrats rally behind ex-Republican David Jolly for governor, while Democratic socialist Angie Nixon scored a major Senate primary victory. Despite the Republican establishment’s grip, progressive and leftist candidates made significant inroads, and Alaska’s Senate race advanced Mary Peltola, a champion for Indigenous rights, to the general election.
In a night marked by both establishment maneuvering and grassroots resistance, Florida Republicans predictably selected Rep. Byron Donalds, a Trump-endorsed candidate awash in corporate cash, as their nominee to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis. Donalds, who amassed over $100 million—much of it from wealthy donors and right-wing PACs—ran on a platform of property-tax reform that critics say will benefit the rich, and he doubled down on allegiance to Trump and Florida’s conservative power brokers. Praising DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott, Donalds declared, “We are one united Republican Party,” signaling the ongoing consolidation of reactionary forces in the state.
On the Democratic side, former Rep. David Jolly, who courageously broke from the GOP in 2018, was nominated for governor. Jolly’s victory was hailed by progressives as a chance to build a new, more inclusive political coalition in Florida—one that rejects the politics of division and corporate interests.
A major breakthrough for the left came as Democratic socialist state Rep. Angie Nixon overcame a massive financial disadvantage to defeat retired Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman in the Senate primary. Nixon’s campaign, powered by grassroots donations and volunteers, focused on ending U.S. military aid to Israel and expanding transformative social programs like Medicare for All and free childcare—policies that resonate with working families but are routinely dismissed by the political establishment.
Meanwhile, entrenched Democratic incumbents Jared Moskowitz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, both known for their ties to corporate donors, managed to fend off progressive challengers in newly gerrymandered districts, highlighting the ongoing struggle for genuine change within the party.
In Alaska, the Decision Desk projected that incumbent GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan and former Rep. Mary Peltola, a trailblazing Alaska Native leader who has consistently advocated for Indigenous rights and environmental protection, will advance to the ranked-choice general election. The presence of a second candidate named Dan Sullivan on the ballot led to confusion, with Trump intervening to prop up his preferred candidate.
Wyoming’s Republican gubernatorial primary saw state Sen. Eric Barlow, a representative of the state’s conservative old guard, defeat the Trump-backed Megan Degenfelder, while Rep. Harriet Hageman, another Trump loyalist, easily secured the GOP Senate nomination.
Other notable results included the ousting of Rep. Cory Mills, dogged by multiple ethics investigations, by former news anchor Ryan Elijah, and the defeat of Trump-backed Catalina Lauf in Florida’s 19th District by Jim Schwartzel.
Overall, the primaries revealed the limits of Trump’s influence and the growing momentum for democratic socialist and progressive candidates, who continue to challenge the corporate status quo in both parties.