Election upsets in Florida and Wyoming as AIPAC-backed candidates lose ground

Aug 18, 2026

A progressive newcomer beat a well-funded establishment favorite in Florida's Democratic Senate primary, a bad night for big-money candidates and for AIPAC.

  • Angie Nixon beat Alex Vindman by 12 points in Florida after spending only $60,000 against his millions.
  • The main difference between them: Vindman took AIPAC money and Nixon did not, which now looks like a liability in Democratic primaries.
  • Anger goes wider than Israel — voters are fed up with donors buying politicians and with establishment Democrats who promise little and deliver less.
  • In Wyoming, a moderate Republican beat Trump's endorsed pick for governor by 14 points.
  • Incumbents backed by AIPAC money still held on elsewhere in Florida, including Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jared Moskowitz, and Randy Fine.

Outlook: Expect more primary challengers to run against donor money, and expect the press to start picking apart Nixon's record immediately.

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