Progressive Democrats have seen a string of victories in other parts of the nation, but one of the stiffer tests of their sales pitch is likely coming in Florida.
South Florida Democrat Rep. Jared Moskowitz has been a reliable and at times sarcastic critic of Republicans and President Donald Trump, but he worked once for Gov. Ron DeSantis and has been a strong supporter of Israel since first elected in 2022.
Moskowitz’s old congressional seat was completely overhauled in the redistricting pushed by his one-time boss and he is now running in Florida’s 25th Congressional District. It now covers a coastal area running from Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade County and leans Republican. National Republicans have targeted him for defeat this year, but before that moment comes he has to clear a Democratic primary featuring outspoken progressive union organizer Oliver Larkin.
Larkin has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America and supports Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and to end U.S. aid to Israel.
Larkin has constantly assailed Moskowitz and contends he is out of step with Democratic priorities during a time when Republicans, in his view, pose an “existential threat to democracy.”
“This is someone who had the political establishment backing him and who’s had all the special-interest and corporate money and he’s just never had to work for it before,” Larkin said in an interview with the Florida Phoenix. “So I think he’s always taken voters for granted. … We’re in a moment where voters are no longer accepting that.”
Larkin added about Moskowitz that “he’s got one mode and that’s bipartisanship. And I don’t think Democratic voters are looking for bipartisanship with an administration that is gutting our civil and constitutional rights.”
Larkin’s campaign has touted some of his endorsements and the amount of door knocking and campaigning done face-to-face. Moskowitz has largely avoided interacting with Larkin so far. In an interview with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, he contended Larkin was “running against me solely on my religion.”
Moskowitz did not respond to the Phoenix’s request for an interview.
He is a former state legislator who attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and helped push to pass a sweeping bill dealing with firearms in the aftermath of the 2018 Parkland shooting. After DeSantis was elected governor, he tapped Moskowitz as the state’s emergency management chief and later appointed him to the Broward County Commission.
Moskowitz’s connection to DeSantis has been used against him in the past. Larkin has criticized him for it, as well. Progressives have toppled more moderate Democrats in several states, including last week in the Michigan Senate primary.
Matt Isbell, a Democratic data consultant who focuses on redistricting, is skeptical about whether Larkin can defeat in Moskowitz in the primary. He understands there is a lot of ‘left wing anger” at Moskowitz but pointed out demographics of the district including that it has a large number of Jewish voters.
“I do not expect him to win the primary because the primary in this area is much older and I think moderate than it was like in a place like Denver or New York City,” Isbell said. “So, it’s a different type of electorate.”
