Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon says 'I don't know' when asked if she's capitalist or socialist
Angie Nixon Faces Scrutization Over Ideological Labels in Final Days of Florida Senate Race
In a high-stakes interview just days before the election, Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon stumbled when asked to define her economic ideology, drawing fire from Republican opponent Ashley Moody’s campaign and highlighting the political vulnerabilities of her association with democratic socialism. The exchange, conducted by Politico’s Dasha Burns for “The Conversation,” saw Nixon repeatedly unable to classify herself as either a capitalist or a socialist, instead emphasizing her personal background and commitment to social safety nets.
Nixon, who is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), had previously identified as a capitalist, creating a point of contention. When pressed on the discrepancy, she deflected, stating, “I don’t know. I don’t know. Like, I don’t know,” before pivoting to her identity as a Black woman and former single mother who relies on government assistance programs. “I identify as Angie Nixon, as a Black woman who was a former single mom, who wants to make sure that no one has to struggle the way I struggled when I was a single mom,” she said. She further explained that she lives in a capitalistic society but advocates for strong social programs, having used them herself, and noted that she and her husband are small business owners who do not seek to “take over anyone’s business.”
The interview sparked immediate backlash from Moody’s campaign. Spokesperson Cameron Gambini accused Nixon of regretting her socialist affiliations, calling her a “radical lunatic” in a statement to Fox News Digital. Gambini also linked the controversy to Nixon’s recent comments about Cuba, where she initially refused to label the country a dictatorship, later clarifying that she believed Cubans who described it as such. This led to a dispute with CBS News, which Nixon alleged misrepresented her remarks; the network deleted a post and acknowledged the error.
Critics, including Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet, suggested Nixon is distancing herself from socialism because it is politically unfavorable in Florida. “Some pollster or political consultant probably told her socialism doesn’t sell in Florida,” Kolvet said, dismissing her explanations as insincere. Nixon joined the DSA in June but has rejected several of its policy positions, such as abolishing the Senate or defunding the military, and the organization did not nationally endorse her campaign.
Earlier in the race, Nixon had been more definitive, telling NBC’s “Meet the Press” in August, “I’m a capitalist who believes that we need some strong regulation.” Her current uncertainty underscores the tightrope walk for Democrats in a competitive state, as she challenges Moody, who was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis after Marco Rubio became secretary of state. The race enters its final week with Nixon’s ideological consistency under scrutiny, as she frames herself as a “humanist” focused on community needs rather than labels.
