Nixon Clarifies Stance on Prisons: 'I Want Moody Locked Up'

Florida Senate hopeful Angie Nixon has clarified her position on prisons, stating that her aim is not to abolish them but rather to see her Republican opponent, Sen. Ashley Moody, incarcerated.

During a CNN interview, Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), addressed claims that she supports abolishing prisons. "Why would I want to do that when I want her [Moody] locked up and punished in jail for what she has done?" Nixon asked.

Nixon's comments come as she campaigns for the Florida Senate, a race where she faces incumbent Republican Ashley Moody. Nixon is the first DSA member to secure a major party nomination in a competitive Senate race. The DSA platform has previously advocated for prison abolition.

Nixon cited the Hope Florida scandal as a reason for her stance against Moody. A grand jury report, later leaked to CBS News, alleged that Governor Ron DeSantis' administration misappropriated $10 million from a Medicaid fraud settlement. The funds were reportedly directed to the Hope Florida Foundation, founded by the state's first lady, and subsequently routed to political action committees opposing a ballot measure to legalize cannabis for adult use.

The grand jury report implicated Moody, who was then Florida's attorney general, along with James Uthmeier, DeSantis' then-chief of staff, and Jason Weida, then-AHCA Secretary. A Florida appellate court later ordered the grand jury report expunged, ruling the panel had exceeded its authority.

Nixon criticized the court's decision as "corruption through and through" and stated she would call for a full investigation into Moody's actions. Nixon previously defeated Alexander Vindman, a key witness in the Trump impeachment proceedings, in the Democratic primary.

According to the latest RealClearPolitics polling average, Moody holds a seven-percentage-point lead over Nixon in the race for the Florida Senate seat.