The field for the junior U.S. Senate seat from Florida includes the incumbent running for the seat for the first time (she was appointed to it to fill the void Marco Rubio created when he became Secretary of State) and Democrat and No Party Affiliate challengers.
Each of the candidates within a race were asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. The candidates' answers were fact checked and only edited for space considerations. Editors used information from candidates' campaign websites if candidates did not send answers to our questions.
A
ngie Nixon, Democrat
Education: University of Florida, BA, Political Science
Occupation: Member, Florida House of Representatives
Campaign website: angienixon.com
If elected, what are the three most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
If elected, the top three most pressing issues I will focus on as U.S. Senator are addressing the high cost of living, the health/home insurance industry and standing against the dismantling of essential services like Social Security, Medicare and SNAP.
Floridians are being crushed by an affordability crisis driven by corporate greed, political corruption and leaders who are afraid to stand up for the needs of the people. To solve these issues, we must crack down on price-gouging by large corporations, restore power to Floridians by removing power from insurance companies, and invest further in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and VA benefits. We need a system that takes care of our healthcare, not the needs of insurance companies. I am strongly in favor of Medicare For All.
Why do you deserve to be elected in this race?
I am running in this race because the needs of Floridians have not been represented. I have delivered on affordable childcare, raising wages, and home insurance in a bipartisan way in the Florida Legislature. I have experience legislating on behalf of the needs of all Floridians. We need leaders who will fight through anything for the needs of the people.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
We must increase the housing supply in Florida to keep pace with the rapidly growing population. My priorities include incentivizing construction of affordable housing and re-evaluating the zoning laws to allow construction of more duplexes and mixed-use developments. Additionally, part of the problem is the home insurance premiums in the state, which have been driven up by climate disasters, litigation costs, and multiple insurers withdrawing from offering coverage within the state.
Renters also make up a large portion of Florida’s households. Increasing access to rental assistance programs and expanding transparency around fees and rent increases must be looked at as solutions to address this ongoing issue.
Will you vote YES or NO on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions? No.
I would absolutely vote no, and here’s why: It’ll gut local services. State economists say it’ll blow a $12 billion hole in local budgets. That’s going to force cities and counties to drastically cut essential services like fire rescue, public hospitals, and parks, which we all rely on. Otherwise, local governments will be forced to raise other taxes and fees to try to make up for the loss in funding. It’s also a massive permanent tax break for corporate landlords, vacation rentals, and large commercial buildings.
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond?
Data centers are a product of large corporations, and they must pay their fair share and be held accountable for the huge negative impact their technology has. No amount of money should absolve them of being responsible for their actions.
What is the single biggest issue the government should address when it comes to public education in Florida?
The biggest issue facing public education in Florida is our chronic underfunding of schools and teachers. We must fully fund public schools so Florida’s students can have safe classrooms, up to date materials and qualified educators. We should be incentivizing people to become teachers with competitive pay.
Do you agree with the current federal and state governments’ approaches to immigration enforcement? Why or why not?
I do not agree with the way that this administration has gone about immigration enforcement. Many of the policies have been inhumane, illegal and downright un-American. Immigration is a deeply complex issue, however there are a few things that are abundantly clear: we must treat people with dignity and create a system that is orderly, efficient and considerate, not a system built on cruelty or chaos.
Do you believe abortion restrictions in Florida should be more strict, less strict or stay the same?
We should have fewer restrictions on abortion because when we restrict abortion and legislate what women can and cannot decide about their bodies it means that more women and children will die. Medical decisions should be made by patients and their doctors not legislators. Abortion restrictions force women into incredibly dangerous situations which disproportionately harms low-income and women of color.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida?
Climate change is the most impactful environmental issue in Florida. Climate change comes with a massive human and economic toll and it is something that we must address head on.
Ashley Moody
Party: Republican
Education: Sen. Ashley Moody is a three-time graduate of the University of Florida, where she earned her bachelor’s‚ master’s and law degrees. She also earned her Master of Laws from Stetson University. (SOURCE: Ashley Moody for U.S. Senate campaign website)
Occupation: U.S. Senator from Florida (incumbent)
Campaign website: ashleymoody.com
This candidate did not respond to the News Collaborative of Central Florida questionnaire. Using the candidate's website and social posts, we have tried to provide answers to our questions.
If elected, what are the three most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them? According to her website, Moody says it's her continuing her mission to uphold conservative values, strengthen national security, and fight for Floridians. "She is key supporter of President Trump’s agenda and remains dedicated to America First policies that promote law and order, economic prosperity, and American sovereignty," her website posted in bold font.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
In a Facebook post from an appearance on Fox News, Moody said, " We have pushed forward legislation to keep more money in people’s pockets, to give them more resources for education, and to make sure that every baby born has a child investment account so they can start living their American Dream." She also said, " Every time we push to make life better, to make life more affordable, keep more money in Americans’ pockets, make them safer, pass common sense legislation, Democrats have blocked us at every turn."
In another post, she added, "I fought for NO TAX ON TIPS. Florida’s workers should be able to keep more of what they earn."
Will you vote YES or NO on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions?
We were unable to find a statement or social media post indicating whether Moody supports or opposes Amendment 3.
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond?
On her Senate website, Moony posted a news release on Sept. 25 saying she is "cosponsoring legislation to protect Americans from possible rate increases caused by new data centers."
In a post on X, Moody said, " Ratepayers should NEVER foot the bill for massive data centers in their communities. That’s why I’ve cosponsored the Ratepayer Protection Act and will work hard to get it passed!"
What is the single biggest issue the government should address when it comes to public education in Florida?
On her Senate website, Moody posted a news release in July noting endorsements from her efforts to Increase funding for vocational training by "targeting multibillion-dollar elite university endowments." The release also said, “The TRADES Act will fund technical schools that prepare Floridians to enter professions in fields like construction, electrical repair, automotive maintenance, logistics, and welding: jobs that keep Florida growing and running."
Do you agree with the current federal and state governments’ approaches to immigration enforcement? Why or why not?
Moody has said on her website the Biden administration did historic damage to our country’s immigration and national security structures, putting our nation and unaccompanied children at risk, and turning federal agencies into middlemen for mass human trafficking operations. As a United States Senator, I will continue to work with President Trump to not only reverse the failures of the Biden administration but ensure that it can never happen again.
Do you believe abortion restrictions in Florida should be more strict, less strict or stay the same?
In November 2023, then Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody urged the Florida Supreme Court to reject a proposed 2024 constitutional amendment that sought to ensure abortion rights, describing the measure as an effort to ‘hoodwink’ voters. She filed a 39-page brief contending that the proposal should be kept off the 2024 ballot because the wording of the ballot summary would be misleading to voters. (SOURCE: News Service of Florida, Nov. 1, 2023)
A congressional scorecard produced by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America gave Moody an A+. ‘Senator Moody has voted consistently to protect the lives of the unborn and to stop forced taxpayer funding of abortion. This includes delivering the largest pro-life legislative victory in two decades by defunding Big Abortion businesses, like Planned Parenthood, of Medicaid dollars for one year through the reconciliation bill H.R.1. Senator Moody also stood strong against attempts to further subsidize plans that cover elective abortion,’ the group wrote.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida?
The League of Conservation Voters’ annual National Environmental Scorecard tracks the voting records of members of Congress on environmental, climate change, and democracy legislation and scores them on whether their votes protect people and the planet. Sen. Ashley Moody received a “0” score. The LCV reported that Sen. Moody lodged 35 “anti-environment” votes in 2025.
Neil Gillespie, No Party Affillation
Residence: Ocala
Education: According to biographical information published by Gillespie, he earned an Associate of Business Administration degree, cum laude, from the Wharton School's evening division at the University of Pennsylvania in 1988 and a bachelor's degree from The Evergreen State College in 1995.
Occupation: His professional background includes ownership and operation of an automobile dealership in Pennsylvania and other business and entrepreneurial work. Gillespie has also been involved for years with his Justice Network, an advocacy and information organization dealing with legal, governmental, and consumer issues.
Campaign website: neilgillespie4senate.blogspot.com/
This candidate did not respond to the News Collaborative of Central Florida questionnaire. Using the candidate's website and social posts, we have tried to provide answers to some of our questions.
If elected, what are the three most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
Per his website: 1. Restore checks and balances in government, separation of powers. Lawyers admitted to practice are officers of the court, part of the judicial branch of government, and must not serve in elected office in the legislature or executive branch. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, are lawyers admitted to practice, and who wrongly served as president and vice president, created the current immigration problem with open borders. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a lawyer admitted to practice, is wrongly serving in the executive (as governor), and was able to wrongly take $10 million in taxpayer money, his "cherry on top", for his wife's charity. Currently our government is corrupted by a failure of checks and balance. We The People Can Do Better!
2. Health care reform. I was born needing craniofacial surgery but my insurance denied coverage for surgery when I was age 18 under a preexisting condition clause. I propose national health coverage, with the ability to opt-out. Trial Lawyers add excessive costs, and force doctors to practice defensive medicine. See my Healthcare page https://www.nosue.org/healthcare/ Five other capitalist democracies -- the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland -- deliver health care to their people. We The People can learn from their successes and their failures.
3. Guarantee the safety of Jews in the United States. America is the promised land that defeated fascism in Europe in 1945. Hold Bibi responsible for allowing October 7th to happen, and for the war on Iran. Iran is Bibi's war, and it is a disaster. Unfortunately, Israel cannot protect Jews. Its wars are creating antisemitism worldwide. Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin made peace with the Palestinians (Oslo Accords). But on Nov-04-1995, an Israeli, Yigal Amir, murdered Rabin, ending the peace plan. Most of my family (Catholic) came to America from Ireland. My maternal great-grandmother was Jewish. We are not a "Christian Nation" as some claim. Catholics, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims are not "Christians".
Why do you deserve to be elected in this race?
Per his website: "I am motivated to run for office because of lawfare and lack of due process in our state and federal courts. Our first president, George Washington, warned us about political parties in his Farewell Address. That is why I am a "No Party Affiliation" (NPA) candidate."
What is the single biggest issue the government should address when it comes to public education in Florida?
From his website: "Parents have the most important role in the education of their children. My parents sent me to Catholic elementary school (grades 1-8) and Catholic high school (grades 9-12). The state, when acting "in loco parentis", is responsible for the child's safely at school. In higher education, students age 18 and older are generally considered adults for legal and institutional purposes."
Do you agree with the current federal and state governments’ approaches to immigration enforcement? Why or why not?
From his website: "Immigrants are essential for the U.S. economy. We need qualified, vetted, immigrants legally present in America. The de facto open border policy of the Biden administration was wrong. The Biden immigration policy has benefited the legal profession, not the American People. Business is great for immigration lawyers ... I have worked with and support immigrants are naturalized citizens. In Pennsylvania I was a licensed motor vehicle dealer with many immigrant customers. I support secure boarders because we need to know who is in our county, who is in our home. Immigrants' background must be vetted. I support the lawful removal of people who enter the United States illegally, but not the spectacle created by activists confronting ICE. I also support a path to citizenship for immigrants who follow the rules."
