Democrats Secure Key Win Against Socialists

Rep. Jared Moskowitz scored a decisive victory in Florida’s Democratic primary Tuesday, defeating a challenger backed by the Democratic Socialists of America and advancing to what could become one of the most competitive congressional elections in the country this November.

The Florida Democrat easily turned aside Oliver Larkin, a former Bernie Sanders campaign staffer and Democratic Socialists of America member who challenged Moskowitz from the progressive left.

With more than 95% of ballots counted, Moskowitz held 66.7% of the vote compared with 33.3% for Larkin.

The result settles the Democratic side of the race in Florida’s newly redrawn 25th Congressional District. But Moskowitz now faces a potentially much tougher battle.

Former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer won the Republican nomination Tuesday and will face Moskowitz in the November general election.

And there is one number that could make Democrats particularly concerned about the matchup: President Donald Trump won the territory making up the new congressional district by roughly 9 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.

That makes Florida’s 25th District a potentially important Republican pickup opportunity as the GOP fights to maintain control of the U.S. House.

Moskowitz Easily Defeats DSA-Backed Challenger

Larkin entered the Democratic primary with significant support from the party’s socialist and progressive wing.

In April, the Democratic Socialists of America’s national organization threw its support behind Larkin, marking its first endorsement in a federal congressional race of the 2026 cycle. Several local DSA chapters also backed his candidacy.

Larkin campaigned on an aggressively progressive platform that included Medicare for All, establishing a $25 federal minimum wage and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE.

Those positions created a clear ideological choice for Democratic primary voters.

Moskowitz ultimately won by a wide margin.

The incumbent has generally presented himself as a more moderate Democrat, particularly compared with the party’s progressive wing.

Before serving in Congress, Moskowitz was a member of the Florida Legislature and later served as director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Although he has remained an outspoken critic of President Trump, Moskowitz has occasionally worked with Republicans and sought to establish a reputation as a Democrat willing to cross party lines on certain issues.

His victory Tuesday demonstrated that Democratic primary voters overwhelmingly preferred that approach over Larkin’s more progressive agenda.

Scott Singer Wins Republican Primary

While Democrats chose Moskowitz, Republican voters selected former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer from a crowded GOP field.

Singer defeated four other Republican candidates and finished with 31.4% of the primary vote.

His victory officially sets up a Moskowitz-Singer general election contest that could attract considerable attention from both national parties.

Republicans have good reason to focus on the district.

Florida’s congressional boundaries changed dramatically this year, transforming Moskowitz’s political future in the process.

His former 23rd Congressional District was dismantled under the new map, leading Moskowitz to seek reelection in the newly configured 25th District.

The new seat follows a narrow coastal stretch beginning around Boca Raton and continuing through Broward County into Miami-Dade County.

More importantly, the district is considerably more competitive politically than the territory Moskowitz previously represented.

Trump Won New District By About 9 Points

The 2024 presidential election provides Republicans with perhaps their strongest reason for optimism.

President Trump carried the territory contained within the newly drawn 25th Congressional District by approximately 9 percentage points in 2024, according to an analysis from Florida Politics.

That does not guarantee a Republican congressional victory in 2026. Midterm elections can produce different voting patterns than presidential contests, and individual candidates can outperform or underperform their party.

Still, Trump’s performance suggests Republicans have a genuine opportunity to compete for the seat.

Two prominent election forecasters agree that the outcome is far from certain.

The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball have both classified the district as a toss-up, meaning neither Republicans nor Democrats currently hold a clear advantage heading toward November.

That designation could make Florida’s 25th Congressional District one of the House races worth watching closely during the final months of the 2026 midterm campaign.

Republicans See Major House Opportunity

Republicans are targeting the district as part of their nationwide effort to protect their House majority.

Every competitive seat could matter.

With congressional control potentially determined by a relatively small number of races, districts such as Florida’s 25th could ultimately help decide whether Republicans maintain their majority or Democrats regain control of the chamber.

For Singer, the Republican strategy appears straightforward: capitalize on the district’s favorable 2024 presidential results while making the election a referendum on the direction of Washington.

For Moskowitz, the political calculation is more complicated.

He successfully defeated a socialist-backed challenger from his left, but the voters who participate in a Democratic primary are very different from the broader electorate he will encounter in November.

Independent voters and Republicans will now have a much greater influence over his political future.

A Major Test for South Florida Democrats

South Florida has experienced significant political changes in recent election cycles, making the region increasingly important to both parties.

The newly drawn 25th District provides another test of whether Republican gains in Florida can translate into additional congressional seats.

Moskowitz can point to his moderate reputation and willingness to occasionally work across party lines as he attempts to appeal beyond the Democratic base.

Singer can counter that the district’s presidential voting history shows its electorate is already receptive to Republican candidates and President Trump’s agenda.

Those competing arguments could make the race one of Florida’s most closely watched political contests.

Socialist Agenda Rejected in Democratic Primary

Tuesday’s Democratic result also delivers an interesting message about the ideological direction of the party.

Larkin had the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America and promoted several policies associated with the progressive movement.

But Democratic voters overwhelmingly chose Moskowitz instead.

His roughly two-to-one advantage suggests voters in the primary were not prepared to replace the incumbent with a candidate campaigning on policies such as eliminating ICE and imposing a $25 national minimum wage.

That result does not necessarily indicate how voters elsewhere will respond to progressive candidates, but it provides another data point in the continuing debate inside the Democratic Party over its political direction.

The November election presents an entirely different challenge.

Florida Could Help Determine Control of the House

Both parties now have their nominees, and the focus shifts toward the general election.

Moskowitz enters the race as an incumbent congressman with established name recognition and political experience.

Singer enters with something equally valuable: a congressional district where Trump won convincingly in the most recent presidential election.

That combination creates the conditions for a highly competitive campaign.

Republicans will attempt to connect Singer with voters who backed Trump in 2024, while Democrats will likely emphasize Moskowitz’s record and portray him as more moderate than other members of his party.

Campaign spending, voter turnout and the national political environment could all influence the final result.

The Bigger Picture

Tuesday night answered one major question.

Democratic voters decisively rejected the DSA-backed challenge to Moskowitz.

Now comes the contest that could matter much more for control of Washington.

Moskowitz must defend his congressional career in territory that President Trump carried by roughly 9 points only two years earlier. Singer will try to turn that Republican presidential advantage into a GOP congressional victory.

For Republicans seeking to maintain their House majority, Florida’s newly redrawn 25th District represents a potentially valuable pickup opportunity.

For Democrats, losing the seat would demonstrate just how consequential Florida’s new congressional map could become.

The primary is finished, but the battle for Florida’s 25th District is just getting started.

With the November midterm elections approaching and control of Congress at stake, this South Florida race could ultimately become much more than a local political contest.