Full Breakdown
Florida Senate Candidate Angie Nixon’s Cuba Comment Sparks Bipartisan Backlash
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
The Interview and Immediate Fallout
During a televised interview with CBS News, Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon—a Florida state representative for District 13 and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)—was asked whether she considered Cuba a dictatorship. She replied, “You know, that is what people have told me. I have never been to Cuba, and so I will have to take their word for it.” Nixon added that the U.S. embargo had failed to change the regime and that she supports a return to Obama-era diplomatic policies.
02
Background: Cuban-American Politics and the Democratic Socialists of America
Cuba has been under single-party communist rule since 1959, with independent political organizations outlawed. Florida’s sizable Cuban-American electorate, many of whom fled after the revolution, traditionally backs a hard-line stance toward Havana. Nixon’s 2022 affiliation with the DSA, which has opposed sanctions and urged diplomatic engagement, has drawn scrutiny from opponents who say the membership signals a softer view of the island’s government.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
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Poll Snapshot
An NBC6/Telemundo poll conducted in the weeks before the election found strong partisan polarization: 87 % of registered Democrats said they would support Nixon, compared with 5 % for Republican incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody; among registered Republicans, 91 % favored Moody and 3 % Nixon. The poll suggests the controversy is unlikely to shift the overall partisan split but could affect Nixon’s standing among Cuban-American voters, a key demographic in South Florida.
04
Official Statements & Responses
- Nixon’s social-media post asserted she had “clearly stated” she relied on Cuban-American testimony and called CBS’s characterization misinformation.
- Elliott Rodriguez, Democratic nominee for Florida’s 27th Congressional District, said “Cuba being a dictatorship is not a matter of opinion. It is a fact.”
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Criticism & Opposition
- Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) wrote that Nixon’s answer reflects a broader problem within the Democratic Party, likening her inability to label a dictatorship to an inability to define a woman.
- Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), a Cuban-American whose family fled the island, said there is “no ambiguity” about Cuba’s status as a communist dictatorship.
- Among Democrats, Phil Ehr, nominee for Florida’s 28th Congressional District, said Cuban-American voters are “frightened” and praised Nixon for standing against “DSA rhetoric.”
06
Verbatim Quotes
- “Like many of her Democrat colleagues who can’t seem to define what a woman is, we now have a candidate for the U.S. Senate who can’t define a dictatorship.” — Sen. Rick Scott
- “You know, that is what people have told me. I have never been to Cuba, and so I will have to take their word for it. And I know you're going to go into this, how do I feel things need to be handled with Cuban relations. Right now, this decades-long, failed embargo has yet to change over the regime. I have talked to Cuban Americans here in the state of Florida who have family members that are still over in Cuba, and they told me that they are hurting even more now because of this failed embargo.” — Angie Nixon
- “Representative Angie Nixon, you and I agree on many issues, including the need to lower costs for working families. But Cuba being a dictatorship is not a matter of opinion. It is a fact.” — Elliott Rodriguez
- “ "Of COURSE the Castro regime is a dictatorship," Donalds wrote.” — Rep. Byron Donalds
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What’s Next
As the November Senate election approaches, the controversy is expected to remain a focal point in campaign messaging, especially among Cuban-American voters in South Florida. Both parties are likely to reference the interview in upcoming advertisements and debate preparations.