Democratic candidate Oliver Larkin, who is endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), will challenge incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) in Tuesday's primary for Florida’s 25th Congressional District. The contest represents the final major midterm primary test for the DSA this cycle, following a series of congressional races across the country. The incumbent, Moskowitz, currently holds an advantage in fundraising and polling as he seeks a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The 25th District was recently reshaped by Republican-led redistricting, shifting its boundaries to include portions of the former 23rd and 24th districts. While President Biden won the area by 5 percentage points in 2020, former President Trump won the reshaped territory by approximately 9 points in 2024. The district, which spans the Atlantic coast from Miami Beach to Boca Raton, contains high concentrations of Hispanic and Jewish voters and generally skews older in demographic composition.
Seven DSA-endorsed candidates have already won their congressional primaries this cycle. These include incumbents Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), as well as newcomers Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York, Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania, Melat Kiros in Colorado, and Donavan McKinney in Michigan. However, the movement recently saw a loss in Wisconsin, where DSA-backed Francesca Hong lost a primary for governor.
The scale of this movement's impact is reflected in the current primary cycle results, where five DSA-backed challengers successfully ousted or replaced Democrats in solidly blue districts. In Michigan, Donavan McKinney defeated incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar, and in Colorado, Melat Kiros defeated long-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette. These shifts mean that regardless of the Florida result, at least seven DSA-aligned members are positioned to serve in the next Congress. For voters in these specific districts, this represents a shift toward representatives who prioritize working-class alternatives and progressive-aligned legislative goals.
Florida Democratic strategist Steve Schale noted that the eventual nominee must win over the median voter in a district that "should lean Republican in a normal year." This suggests that residents may see different campaign strategies following Tuesday: a focus on moderate, bipartisan appeal if Moskowitz wins, or a focus on mobilizing a progressive base if Larkin succeeds. Following the primary on Tuesday, attention will shift to the general election, where the Democratic winner will likely face Republican Scott Singer, the current mayor of Boca Raton, or another GOP challenger to determine who will represent the district starting in January 2027.