Florida will decide this Tuesday, November 3rd, who will complete the U.S. Senate term that was left vacant by Marco Rubio upon becoming Secretary of State. Republican Ashley Moody, who has been a senator since January 2025 by appointment of Governor Ron DeSantis, is seeking to keep her position against Democratic candidate Angie Nixon, a state legislator from Jacksonville.
This is a special election: the winner will serve until January 2029, when the six-year term for which Rubio was elected in 2022 ends. Also on the ballot is Neil J. Gillespie, a candidate without party affiliation, according to the official list from the Florida Division of Elections.
Rubio left the Senate in January 2025 after being confirmed as Secretary of State under President Donald Trump. DeSantis then appointed Moody, who had served as Attorney General of Florida for two terms up until that point. The vote this Tuesday allows voters to directly decide who will hold that seat for the remaining two years.
Moody defends his administration; Nixon focuses the campaign on the cost of living
Moody, 51 years old and originally from Plant City, has campaigned as an ally of President Trump. Her message emphasizes border security, support for law enforcement, tax cuts, and a reduction in federal regulations. "We have done a lot of good things for Floridians and we need to keep the state strong," she stated to Local 10 during the campaign.
Nixon, 42 years old, has represented Jacksonville in the Florida House of Representatives since 2020. Her campaign focuses on family expenses, healthcare, housing insurance, and difficulties accessing housing. She has also advocated for greater protection of programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, according to a comparison of her proposals published this Tuesday by News4JAX.
The differences regarding immigration and security
Immigration has marked one of the main contrasts between the two. Moody supports Trump's border control policies and the enforcement of immigration laws, while Nixon questions deportations and has listened to communities concerned about the potential loss of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), according to Local 10. These positions have implications for many immigrant families residing in Florida.
The candidates have also disagreed on how to address the rising costs of electricity and the expansion of data centers. Nixon calls for halting new installations until clear federal standards are established; Moody supports community involvement in decision-making and has proposed measures to prevent consumers from bearing the electrical costs of large data centers. WUSF and Inside Climate News analyzed these differences ahead of the election.
What do the latest polls say in Florida?
The final polls showed an advantage for Moody, although with varying margins between the two main candidates. The Stetson University poll, conducted between October 26 and 30, placed the Republican candidate at 49% of the vote intention compared to Nixon’s 45% among likely voters in the model.
Another poll from RedBox Research, based on interviews conducted on October 30 and 31 and released on November 2, estimated 47% for Moody and 45% for Nixon, a difference within the margin of error. The study was funded by the super PAC A Fight Worth Having, which includes RedBox as its polling unit. The polls reflect preferences prior to election day, not counted votes.
The polls close at 7:00 p.m. local time in each county of Florida. Since the state spans two time zones, Florida Election Watch plans to release the first preliminary statewide results starting at 8:00 p.m., Miami time. The allows you to follow this race and the other congressional elections.
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