Florida Democrats could be facing a problem retaining Jewish voters as candidates accused of being anti-Zionist and antisemitic grow increasingly popular nationwide among Democratic voters.
Angie Nixon: Exhibit A?
State Representative Angie Nixon (D-13), the Democratic challenger to Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) and self-identified member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has faced controversy for her stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
In November 2023, one month after the October 7th terror attack in Israel, State Rep. Nixon introduced House Resolution 31C, which called for a ceasefire in the ensuing war that centered on Gazan deaths, earning criticism from Republicans and Democrats for seemingly ignoring the October 7th massacres.
More recently, during her Senate primary campaign, Nixon hosted a "Dine in Little Palestine" fundraiser with Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who has been censured for her fierce anti-Zionist comments and use of the infamous "From the River to the Sea" slogan that is commonly considered a call for the destruction of Israel and its people.
Moreover, Nixon has been accused of dodging questions from Jewish Democrats on whether Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state.
Despite this, Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) have both shown support for Nixon, even as Rep. Moskowitz denounced the DSA and Rep. Wasserman Schultz said there were "pretty significant disagreements on a number of different issues."
Right-Wing Antisemitism Still Exists
This is not to say that antisemitic, anti-Zionist candidates have not appeared among Republicans.
Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback invoked antisemitic tropes by denouncing the Western Wall as "stupid" and used the term "goyslop," while also receiving the endorsement of white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
6th Congressional District candidate Dan Bilzerian was less subtle in his antisemitism, posting an AI-generated video attacking his primary opponent, Representative Randy Fine (R-FL), that included the line, "Should we revisit that Austrian painter's opinions?" referring to Adolf Hitler.
However, Republicans denounced for their rhetoric. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, and the Republican Party of Florida were among those who pushed back against the political figures.
At the ballot box, Republican voters also pushed back, as Fishback finished in the gubernatorial primary with only 10% of the vote, while Bilzerian was trounced at 18.7% of the vote compared to Rep. Fine's 56.9%.
