Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) won the Democratic primary for his Florida House seat on Tuesday, defeating challenger Oliver Larkin. Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) projected Moskowitz's victory as he seeks a third term in a district that current forecasts describe as a toss-up for the general election.
The primary followed a Republican-led redistricting process that altered Florida’s congressional boundaries. The district represented by Moskowitz now extends from South Beach to Delray Beach. While the seat is considered competitive, DDHQ currently forecasts that Democrats are narrowly favored to win the seat in November.
Larkin, a union organizer, ran as a progressive candidate with the endorsement of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). His loss followed other recent primary outcomes for the organization, including the defeat of Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary one week prior. The DSA had recently seen successful primary campaigns for congressional candidates in New York, Michigan, and Colorado.
For voters in this Florida district, the primary result maintains the current representation in the upcoming general election rather than shifting toward the platform proposed by Larkin and the DSA. A person living in the district will see Moskowitz on their ballot this fall instead of a new Democratic nominee. The race serves as a test of whether the recent success of DSA-backed candidates in other states like Michigan and Colorado translates to competitive districts in Florida.
On the Republican side, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer led in limited polling prior to Tuesday’s primary. The winner of the Republican primary will face Moskowitz in the general election. Final results from all primary contests will lead to the general election scheduled for this November, where the seat remains one of the more closely watched contests in the state due to recent redistricting.