Democratic Socialist Angie Nixon has won Florida’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, defeating former army intelligence officer Alexander Vindman.

Ms Nixon, who faced less funding, with $975,000 compared to Mr Vindman’s $16.3 million at the end of July, received 56 per cent of the votes in Tuesday’s poll, while her rival had 44 per cent.

The Florida state representative joins the growing number of candidates supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) who have won primaries in Colorado, Michigan, Philadelphia, and New York City.

“We have proved that everyday people are more powerful than corporations and billionaires,” Ms Nixon said amid cheers from supporters after the race. “We went up against the political establishment, against millions of dollars of outside spending; we were outspent 16 to one, and we won.”

She added, “This win was for the little guys and girls…We, the hardworking everyday people of Florida, sent a shock wave to the Washington, D.C., establishment.”

Due to his significant fundraising advantage over Ms Nixon, many believed Mr Vindman would win the primary. He had also declined to debate Ms Nixon despite repeated calls ahead of the primary.

“I’m someone who’s willing to debate. He’s not. I’m someone who doesn’t have to be briefed on the issues Floridians are facing because I’ve been fighting the attacks alongside them for nearly two decades,” Ms Nixon had told the Tampa Bay Times in an interview ahead of the primary.

However, Mr Vindman, who served on the National Security Council during President Donald Trump’s first administration, lauded Ms Nixon’s win, saying she “ran a strong campaign”.

He also promised to support her in the race against Republican Ashley Moody.

“I will be standing by her side in the fight against Ashley Moody. I hope you’ll join me,” he wrote in a social media post. “Who would’ve ever thought that a Jewish refugee would make it to the U.S. Army, to the White House, and to becoming a candidate for the U.S. Senate? Only in America is that possible.”

With Ms Nixon’s primary win, Democrats hope to defeat Ms Moody in the November election to determine who will complete Marco Rubio’s Senate term. Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Moody to replace Rubio after he became secretary of state.

Born in Jacksonville, Ms Nixon has been a lawmaker since 2020 and has criticised Mr DeSantis’s policies. Earlier this year, she staged a sit-in at the governor’s office to oppose Republican redistricting, resulting in charges of trespassing and resisting.