Sen. Bernie Sanders rallies with Angie Nixon in Tallahassee

Tallahassee welcomed U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Oct. 18 with more than a thousand people chanting and cheering in a rally to support Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Angie Nixon, about two weeks prior to a highly watched general election in Florida between Nixon and a Republican incumbent in the deep-crimson state.

Read more ATF to stop enforcing registration rules on gun silencers and short-barreled rifles. What to know

His message to Tallahassee: This is the “most important midterm election in modern American history,” so it’s even more important for voters to turn out to vote.

Speaking to the dynamic, energetic crowd, popular Vermont progressive Sanders emphasized his grave concern: that President Donald Trump is “the most dangerous president in the history of the United States.” He stressed that voters must turn out to elect candidates who fight for “the real issues facing the country.”

“This election is not only important for the people of Florida in getting a senator who is going to fight for you,” Sanders said. “Trust me on this, after Angie wins, this is going to be a spark that is going to ignite the entire country.”

“If we can end Republican control over the House, mobilize the American people to stand up and fight for their rights, there is nothing we can accomplish.”

Angie Nixon tells Tallahassee: ‘I am ready’

Nixon, who joined the Democratic Socialists of America earlier this year, campaigned alongside Sanders throughout the state and in the Moon music venue in Tallahassee, for the last stop in Florida of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. These stops fell on the weekend prior to the start of Florida’s early voting on Oct. 19, where Sanders and Nixon also rallied with thousands in Melbourne, Tampa and Gainesville.

To voters, she stressed that she’d be in Washington to fight for Floridians to change how government works in favor of the working class, such as by advocating for Medicare for all, affordable housing, lowered gas prices and immigrant rights.

“Are you all ready to put an end to the corruption that’s driving up our crisis and ruining our democracy?” Nixon said. “I am ready, and I am ready to go to Washington to fight for you.”

The crowds roared when Sanders and Nixon mentioned key progressive issues: raising the minimum wage to a living wage, promoting Medicare for all, putting an end to wars, making public universities and colleges tuition-free, demanding billionaires pay “their fair share of taxes” and not giving any money to the Israeli government.

Throughout her speech, Nixon also took every chance to criticize her incumbent opponent Ashley Moody for being entangled in the Hope Florida controversy, in which a grand jury report alleged the governor’s administration “misappropriated” $10 million from a Medicaid settlement to political committees combatting a recreational marijuana ballot measure.

But even though the energy across these stops was apparent among voters, Nixon is widely viewed by political strategists as a long-shot candidate, especially in an expensive state for political campaigns, which also has a 1.5 million Republican voter registration edge over Democrats.

Despite this challenge, Nixon’s campaign has raised millions in the race to defeat Moody, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis early last year to replace then-Sen. and now Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“We know that they are spending millions of dollars against her,” said U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat who was the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress. “But again, we’re for the many, not the money, and that’s why Angie Nixon is going to win.”

This U.S. Senate race is particularly untraditional since in 2022, Rubio was elected to fulfill a six-year term, which would have been over in 2028. Additionally, Nixon won her Democratic primary in August over Alex Vindman in a major upset for establishment Democrats, who believed the progressive candidate Nixon veered too far to the left.

Read more During chilly Charlotte show, Ed Sheeran talked about almost everything. Almost.

But this year could serve as an early test prior to the 2028 presidential elections of how frustrated Florida voters are with the current White House administration, especially since the two previous Democratic U.S. Senate candidates have lost by double digits.

Voters’ key issues: affordability, abortion rights and Iran war

Karolyn Burns, 35, said she moved to Tallahassee in 2016, and that from then to now the state is completely different.

She said years of policies adjacent to the Make America Great Again movement have fully reshaped Florida. She believes that prompted national politicians to “have written us off.” She was drawn to Nixon since she has been involved in community organizing for abortion rights, unions and immigrant rights.

“This is a neglected state. This is a gerrymandered state,” Burns said. “Someone like Angie, who really does come from the community… I really think that someone like her can actually turn things around and get people to believe that their government can do good things again.”

Solomon Proby, 30, said he’s lived in Florida his whole life. He hasn’t seen too much support for a lot of progressive candidates in north Florida. That’s why he wanted to go to the event to support Sanders and Nixon.

Proby said this year, he’s turning out to vote because he wants to end tax cuts for billionaires and because he wants to see the end of the war in Iran.

“We also should have some decorum in the White House, and I think the only way to hold them accountable is having a legislative body that can hold them accountable,” Proby said.

Ashley Moreau, 19, is voting in her first general election this year, and she wanted to listen to Sanders and Nixon to hear what politics has to offer young people.

Moreau said to her, the top issues driving her to vote in about two weeks would be the housing crisis and the cost of gas, but also abortion rights. She noted Florida’s restrictive six-week abortion ban is particularly concerning to her, and she wants a candidate who believes in upholding reproductive rights.

“I’m tired of the moderate Democrats who don’t do anything in government or Democrats in general who are ineffective,” Moreau said. “I’m just very interested to see the new candidates that Florida is offering us.”

Stephany Matat’s role covering First Amendment issues at the USA TODAY Network – Florida is made possible by a collaboration among Freedom Forum, Journalism Funding Partners and the USA TODAY Network. Freedom Forum does not provide editorial input. Reach Matat at [email protected] and @StephanyMatat on X.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Sen. Bernie Sanders rallies with Angie Nixon in Tallahassee

Read more Miami judge signs warrant for Raul Castro on state charges in Brothers to Rescue case

Reporting by Stephany Matat, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published October 18, 2026 at 11:53 PM.