Oliver Larkin, a 33-year-old progressive activist and veteran of Senator Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, is mounting a primary challenge against two-term Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz in Florida's newly redrawn 25th Congressional District. Endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Larkin is one of only four DSA-backed House candidates nationwide and the sole such candidate running in a competitive swing district that could determine control of the House in the 2026 midterm elections.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Larkin outlined a platform that includes abolishing the U.S. Senate, supporting the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under an International Criminal Court warrant, and cutting all U.S. military aid to Israel. He described Israel's governing coalition as a «religious supremacist regime» and advocated for a «one-state solution with equal and democratic rights for all people.»
Larkin's call to abolish the Senate aligns with a recent DSA policy proposal that describes the upper chamber as an «undemocratic institution.» He argued that Broward County, Florida, with a population larger than that of 12 states, has no dedicated Senate representation, while smaller states enjoy equal voting power. «The Senate privileges land over people, and it originates from a compromise with slave-owning states when the Constitution was first passed,» Larkin said. He emphasized that constitutional amendments could achieve such a change without discarding the entire founding document.
On the issue of Netanyahu, Larkin echoed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's call for federal authorities to enforce the ICC arrest warrant. «We need to enforce the law, and to the degree possible, I would support the enforcement by the New York City Police Department or any other law enforcement entity in the United States to enforce that ICC warrant,» Larkin stated. The ICC issued the warrant in November 2024, accusing Netanyahu of war crimes related to Israel's military operations in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel. The subsequent Israeli response has resulted in more than 73,000 deaths, according to Palestinian health officials.
Larkin's primary challenge comes amid a broader ideological battle within the Democratic Party. In recent months, far-left and socialist candidates have defeated more moderate incumbents in deep-blue districts in New York City and Colorado. The focus now shifts to statewide primaries in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, followed by Florida's August primary, where the Moskowitz-Larkin race will serve as a key test of the party's direction.
Moskowitz, a former state lawmaker and county commissioner who also served as Florida's emergency management director under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, has strong support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). He currently holds a polling and fundraising advantage over Larkin. Larkin criticized Moskowitz for voting in favor of the Laken Riley Act and supporting President Donald Trump's DOGE initiative, accusing him of being a «milquetoast neoliberal corporate Democrat» who failed to deliver on progressive priorities.
The DSA's endorsement of Larkin is part of a broader strategy to push the party further left. The organization has released policy proposals that include expanding the House of Representatives and scrapping the Senate, which would fundamentally alter the U.S. system of government. Larkin's campaign also reflects growing discontent among progressive voters with the party's establishment wing, particularly on issues of foreign policy and economic justice.
If Larkin wins the primary and the general election in November, he has stated he would not support House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker if Democrats regain the majority. This stance underscores the deep divisions within the party as it prepares for the 2026 midterms, where Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the House.
The race in Florida's 25th District is being closely watched as a bellwether for the Democratic Party's internal dynamics. With the DSA seeking to expand its influence beyond deep-blue strongholds, Larkin's candidacy represents a direct challenge to the centrist establishment that has long dominated the party's electoral strategy.