Ocasio-Cortez rallies in Kissimmee for Nixon

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined Angie Nixon in Kissimmee on Tuesday night to support the senatorial campaign.

The rally took place at the Osceola Heritage Park events center and drew an audience of about 300 people. Attendees included children, teenagers, and adults who cheered as the speakers alternated between English and Spanish.

Nixon, a progressive state representative from Jacksonville, is challenging Republican incumbent Ashley Moody in the November 3 general election. She campaigned on a platform that includes Medicare for All, the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and a $25 federal minimum wage.

Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Nixon in September following the August primary. Both politicians are members of the Democratic Socialists of America, though Nixon has rejected some of the group's stances, such as defunding the police. She told a group of farmworkers in Apopka earlier this month that she wants Moody arrested rather than the police defunded.

Orlando Representative Maxwell Frost also addressed the crowd. He noted that housing is a human right and that the high cost of rent is not caused by immigrants living next door. Frost, who is of Puerto Rican and Haitian descent, referenced the influence of billionaire Elon Musk on political campaigns. Musk has donated at least $442 million to political campaigns this election cycle.

Margaret, a retired nurse who drove from Safety Harbor, cited Nixon's policy alignment with Bernie Sanders as a reason for her support. She described Nixon as a fighter for the people who speaks from the heart. Nixon won the Democratic primary in August by defeating centrist Democrat Alex Vindman.

A University of North Florida Public Opinion Lab survey shows Moody leading with 49 percent support compared to 45 percent for Nixon. Five percent of voters remain undecided. The poll indicates Nixon leads among independent voters by 15 percentage points and has support from at least 10 percent of Republicans.

Nixon argued that voters are facing rising prices and corruption during the second year of Donald Trump's presidency. She asked the crowd if they were ready to end the issues making it harder for families to get ahead. The general election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.