Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon stated she did not know whether she identified as a capitalist or a socialist during a recent interview, a response that has drawn criticism from the campaign of Republican incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody.
During an interview with Politico's Dasha Burns, Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), was pressed to clarify her personal economic identity. "I don't know. I don't know. Like, I don't know," Nixon responded. She added, "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."
Cameron Gambini, a spokesperson for Moody, criticized Nixon's response. "Angie Nixon voluntarily signed up to be a member of the Democrat Socialists," Gambini said in a statement. "Now, she's clearly regretting letting her true colors shine... Socialist Angie is a radical lunatic who will never step foot on the Senate floor."
Nixon's comments follow a separate controversy regarding her remarks about Cuba. When asked by CBS News if she considered Cuba a dictatorship, Nixon stated, "You know, that is what people have told me. I have never been to Cuba, and so I will have to take their word for it." Nixon later challenged CBS News' characterization of her response, asserting that she believed Cubans who described their government as a dictatorship and called the news outlet's reporting misinformation. CBS News subsequently deleted its social media post describing her response.
Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, suggested Nixon's hesitation to embrace socialism stemmed from political considerations in Florida. "Some pollster or political consultant probably told her socialism doesn’t sell in Florida," Kolvet said. "So, she’s offering the flimsiest and most insincere of explanations for how radical and economically illiterate she really and truly is."
Earlier in the Politico interview, when initially asked about her economic identity, Nixon emphasized her support for social programs. "So, what I would say is, I live in a capitalistic society, and I just want to make sure that people have strong social programs and safety net programs because I've had to use them before," she said. Nixon also stated she did not "care about labels" and considered herself a "humanist," while affirming she remains a "lifelong Democrat." She noted that she and her husband are small business owners.
Nixon explained her membership in the DSA was due to local community work, citing the organization's assistance to her nonprofit during a government shutdown. This stance contrasts with her August appearance on NBC News' "Meet the Press," where she rejected the socialist label and stated, "I'm a capitalist who believes that we need some strong regulation."
Nixon joined the DSA in June but has reportedly rejected some of the organization's proposals, including abolishing the U.S. Senate and defunding the military. The DSA has publicly advocated for public ownership of major corporations and essential industries.