Angie Nixon’s upset victory over Alexander Vindman was more than a primary surprise. She beat a candidate who had vastly more money and national visibility, suggesting Florida Democrats may have an appetite for a more populist, grassroots candidate.

Now she faces Ashley Moody, the Republican incumbent who was appointed to the Senate after Marco Rubio became secretary of state.

Nixon has an opening. Cost of living is Florida voters’ biggest concern, and Nixon is hyper-focused on housing, insurance, health care and wages. She isn’t the favorite. Not close. But after tonight’s unexpected win, this is a race worth watching.

There’s another wrinkle: turnout seems to be running well below recent primary levels in the strongest Trump counties — about 13-20 points lower than in 2024 and 2022. If that pattern holds statewide, and Trump’s approval stays underwater, tonight might not be the only upset in Florida this year.

Polls are closing now in Florida. Alaska closes Midnight ET.

Here’s my cheat sheet for what matters:

• Florida Governor: Byron Donalds — a win puts a Black MAGA Republican on track to make Florida history.
• Florida Senate: Alex Vindman vs. Angie Nixon — a test of the Democratic Party’s establishment vs. progressive divide.
• Florida House, FL-25: Jared Moskowitz — a redrawn district puts a Democratic incumbent in a much tougher fight.
• Florida House, FL-6: Randy Fine — a test of whether Trump-era MAGA politics can survive a messy GOP primary.
• Alaska Senate: Dan Sullivan vs. Mary Peltola — potentially one of Democrats’ best chances to flip a Senate seat.
• Alaska Senate: The other Dan Sullivan — watch how many votes the same-name challenger actually pulls.
• Alaska Governor: 17 candidates, four advancing — tonight is basically political musical chairs.
• Alaska House: Nick Begich — a Trump-backed Republican defending Alaska’s lone House seat.

Attribution: AI is rotting our brains by David Horsey

[David Horsey is a two-time recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. After a long career at The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and six years as a political commentator for The Los Angeles Times, Horsey is now based at The Seattle Times.]

Todd Blanche went on national television and said the quiet part out loud. The days of an independent Justice Department are officially over. We are witnessing a radical departure from democratic norms straight back to the Nixon era where the Attorney General acts as the president’s personal lawyer. His AG ended up in prison.

From Wikipedia:

The Sonata for Arpeggione and Piano in A minor, D. 821, was written by Franz Schubert in Vienna in November 1824. The sonata is the only substantial composition extant today for the arpeggione (which was essentially a bowed guitar). The sonata was composed in November 1824, about a month after Schubert had returned to Vienna from his second stay in Zseliz. It has been adapted to other string instruments, especially the cello.

 Martha Argerich – on piano

Mischa Maisky on cello

Enjoy, Jack