Florida primaries test antisemitism and ideological divides

Florida voters headed to the polls on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, for a series of primary elections that offered a stark test of political extremes within both major parties, particularly concerning antisemitism and ideological divides over Israel. The contests in the once-swing state, now reliably Republican, unfolded against a backdrop of recent Democratic progressive victories elsewhere and a national political environment shaped by President Donald Trump's second term.

At the top of the ticket, the Republican primary for governor featured a commanding lead for Trump-endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds in a crowded field, while the Democratic nomination was expected to go to moderate former Republican Congressman David Jolly. Analysts viewed the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, pitting former National Security Council official and Trump whistleblower Alexander Vindman against progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon, as a more direct measure of whether the party's left-wing momentum could gain traction in Florida's conservative landscape.

The most heightened focus, however, fell on congressional races where Jewish incumbents faced challengers from the ideological fringes. On the right,...