Senate Race Tightens to 2 Points as Early Voting Ends Sunday

The final days of the campaign in Central Florida centered on two major rallies held this week in Kissimmee and Daytona Beach. Both sides deployed high-profile speakers to energize their bases ahead of Election Day on Tuesday.

Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon held a rally in Kissimmee on Tuesday. The event, titled “Boricuas for Nixon,” featured New York Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nydia Velázquez, along with Orlando Rep. Maxwell Frost. Nixon has represented Jacksonville in the Florida House since 2020 and registered as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America in June.

Republican Sen. Ashley Moody campaigned at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach on Friday. President Donald Trump spoke to a crowd that included Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, Attorney General James Uthmeier, and gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds. Moody was appointed to the U.S. Senate last year after Marco Rubio became secretary of state. She previously served as Florida attorney general, a position she held from 2018 to 2026.

The rallies featured sharp exchanges about political labels. Ocasio-Cortez told the Kissimmee crowd that good schools and funded hospitals were not communism. Nixon asked the audience if believing no family should go bankrupt from illness was radical. The crowd responded by shouting that it was. In Daytona Beach, Moody called Nixon an actual communist. She said Nixon’s agenda sounded like an enemy’s wish list. Trump also addressed hecklers who interrupted him three times during his remarks.

Polling data suggests a close contest. A Pew Research Center poll this month found Democrats were 17 percentage points more likely to say they were extremely motivated to vote. Recent polls show Moody holding a slight advantage of a few percentage points in the Senate race. Moody’s campaign fundraising materials have cited polls showing the two candidates tied. Trump’s approval rating stands at about 37 percent.

Attendees at both events emphasized the importance of turnout. Melissa Moore, a 37-year-old volunteer for Nixon, said younger voters are excited for change. Nicole Rio, a Republican attendee in Daytona Beach, said the race is about common sense versus communism. Colton Peacock, a 16-year-old who attended the Daytona rally with his parents, predicted a landslide victory for Republicans.

Early voting is open across Florida through Sunday. Voters can check their local county supervisor of elections’ office for specific times and locations. Election Day is Tuesday.