Why I Believe Angie Nixon Has Evolved—So She Has My Vote!

I have confidence that Angie Nixon will make an excellent United States senator, one who understands the relationship the United States has with Israel, as well as the deep historical and emotional connection the Jewish people have with Israel. I believe she will be a friend to both the Jewish community and the State of Israel.

That confidence did not come overnight. It is the result of conversations, observations, and an important moment I experienced personally with Angie last Thursday evening.

I’ve been following Angie Nixon very closely, and I believe something important has been happening that many people have overlooked.

Since the primary, Angie has largely stopped making Israel an issue in her campaign. When questions about Israel do arise, I sense a significant change in how she approaches them compared with her earlier statements.

I serve on the State Board of the Florida Democratic Jewish Caucus and am president of the Sarasota-Manatee Democratic Jewish Caucus. Over the past two months, our state board has been meeting more frequently than it has in years. Several of my fellow board members have been engaging directly with Angie and her campaign, and I believe those conversations have made a difference.

Last Thursday evening, I attended a reception for Angie with approximately 70 people present. I had the opportunity to speak with her both publicly and privately.

During her remarks, Angie spoke passionately about being a descendant of enslaved African Americans. She explained that her ancestors, on both sides of her family, could never have imagined that one of their descendants might someday become a United States senator.

She was living a dream they could scarcely have conceived.

When Angie called upon me, I wanted to share something about the American Jewish experience.

I explained that so many American Jews are descendants of people who escaped the pogroms of Eastern Europe, survived the Holocaust, or both.

Our ancestors also endured persecution, oppression, displacement, and the terrifying reality of having nowhere to go. That historical experience helps explain why Israel is so important to the Jewish people.

I wasn’t comparing which community suffered more. These are different histories, both involving extraordinary suffering and resilience.

What I wanted Angie to understand was that our communities share something profound: the historical experience of persecution and the determination that future generations should never endure what our ancestors endured.

And then something happened.

There was a long pause.

Angie and I looked at each other, and I felt that what I had said had genuinely reached her.

But looking back, I believe there was something more significant happening in that moment.

I believe the conversations Angie had been having with members of our Florida Democratic Jewish Caucus over the preceding weeks, combined with the parallel I had just drawn between her ancestors’ experiences and those of the Jewish people, may have come together for her in a way they hadn’t before.

I cannot know precisely what Angie was thinking. I have not spoken with her about that moment since. But what I saw in her expression, followed by her response, left me with a powerful impression.

Then Angie began speaking.

For approximately five minutes, she discussed the historical relationship between the African American and Jewish communities, beginning in the early 20th century and continuing through the civil rights movement.

She spoke about how our communities worked together in the struggle for equality and how that relationship has endured into the present.

That was the moment that mattered most to me.

She wasn’t simply acknowledging my comments. She was drawing upon her own understanding of the history connecting our two communities.

Her public response, followed by our brief private conversation afterward, reinforced my impression that something meaningful had happened.

I came home that evening and wrote an article about our encounter. I submitted it to The Times of Israel at approximately 11 p.m., and it was published the following morning.

I titled it:

When Senate Candidate Angie Nixon and I Found Common Ground

Some readers apparently interpreted my description of that moment as suggesting a personal or even romantic connection.

That was certainly not what I meant.

The connection I described was one of historical understanding, political awareness, and the recognition of experiences that have shaped two communities for generations.

I believe that moment may have helped bring together many of the conversations Angie had been having with members of our caucus.

And that brings me to something else I believe is important.

Political Campaigns Are Two-Way Streets

When someone enters a political campaign, they bring with them their existing knowledge, experiences, assumptions, and political positions.

But campaigns are not simply opportunities for candidates to tell voters what they believe.

Campaigns are two-way streets. Voters don’t just hear messages; they send messages back.

Candidates meet people whose experiences are different from their own. They hear concerns they may never have seriously considered. They are challenged to examine positions that may have been formed without a complete understanding of the issues.

And sometimes, candidates evolve.

I believe that is what has been happening with Angie Nixon.

Her political experience has been primarily in the Florida House of Representatives, where her focus has been on issues affecting Florida families and communities. American foreign policy, including the complexities of the United States’ relationship with Israel, has not been the central focus of her political career.

Now she is running for the United States Senate.

That requires a broader understanding of America’s role in the world, our international alliances, and the historical relationships that shape those alliances.

From what I have observed, including our caucus’s ongoing conversations with Angie and my own exchange with her, I believe she is developing that understanding.

And I believe she is taking it seriously.

Consider how she discussed Israel during the primary campaign compared with how she has approached the subject since.

In the appearances I have followed, Israel no longer seems to be part of the drumbeat of her campaign. When the subject comes up, her language appears more measured and less confrontational.

I don’t believe that change should be dismissed.

It doesn’t mean every disagreement has disappeared. I remain concerned about Israel’s security, including continued American support for defensive systems such as Iron Dome.

But I also recognize that political relationships develop through continuing conversations, not through demanding instant agreement on every issue.

And those conversations must continue.

Why I Am Confident

I have spent decades as a liberal Democrat and a committed Zionist.

My principles have not changed.

I believe strongly in Israel’s right to exist, defend itself, and provide security for the Jewish people. I also believe in the dignity and rights of Palestinians.

I recognize that some members of the Jewish community remain deeply concerned about Angie’s previous statements regarding Israel. I understand those concerns, and I respect them.

But I also believe people can learn, grow, and reconsider positions as they encounter new information and perspectives.

In fact, isn’t that one of the reasons we engage in political dialogue in the first place?

If we refuse to recognize when someone may be reconsidering a position, what incentive are we giving that person to listen?

My confidence in Angie is not based solely on one evening or one conversation.

It reflects the continuing efforts of members of our Democratic Jewish Caucus, my observations of her campaign, and my personal experience speaking with her.

I also recognize that as a United States senator, Angie would be accountable to the people of Florida, including its Jewish community. Our dialogue with her should not end on Election Day.

It should continue throughout her service.

I don’t want to approach that relationship assuming confrontation is inevitable.

I would rather build upon the understanding I believe has begun to develop.

I expect Angie Nixon to be an excellent Democratic senator, and I expect her to be a friend to the Jewish community and to Israel.

That is my assessment, based on what I have personally witnessed and the work our caucus has undertaken.

Others may reach different conclusions, and I welcome good-faith discussion.

But I keep returning to that moment last Thursday evening.

The pause. The look we exchanged. Her thoughtful response about the historical relationship between African Americans and American Jews.

And the possibility that several weeks of conversations had helped bring about a deeper understanding.

My support for Angie Nixon is not a blank check. I expect her to be a friend to Israel and to continue listening to the concerns of the Jewish community. And remember, Angie is running to complete the final two years of Marco Rubio’s term, not for a full six-year term. The seat will be up for election again in 2028. If she fails to meet those expectations, we can do what the DSA does: we can primary Angie. Democratic voters have every right to challenge an incumbent who no longer represents their priorities. But that is a question for another election. Right now, we face an urgent challenge. We need enough Democrats in the United States Senate to stand up to Donald Trump and stop his agenda. I believe Angie intends to do just that.

The purpose of dialogue isn’t simply to convince someone that you’re right. Sometimes it’s to help someone see something they’ve never fully understood before. I believe that’s exactly what happened last Thursday evening. For that reason, Angie has my vote. I hope she’ll earn yours as well!