GOP's Singer says he is 'very prepared' to unseat Dem Moskowitz in Florida race that could decide House control
Republican Scott Singer, a former Boca Raton mayor, says he is ready to flip Florida's newly redrawn 25th Congressional District, a toss-up race that could determine the House majority. The contest pits Singer against two-term Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz in a district with a large Jewish electorate and a growing GOP registration advantage.
Republican Scott Singer, a former Boca Raton mayor, says his campaign is ready to flip Florida's newly redrawn 25th Congressional District, a race widely seen as one of the nation's most competitive and potentially decisive for control of the House. "We're going to be very prepared to go flip this seat — it is a key targeted seat," Singer said in an interview. "This is a key district that may determine the balance of power in the House."
Singer is challenging two-term Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who currently represents the more Democratic-friendly 23rd District but will run in the new 25th after Florida's Republican-led redistricting redrew the map. The Cook Political Report rates the race as one of 19 toss-ups nationwide, with four Democratic-held seats and 15 Republican-held seats in that category. A GOP pickup here would narrow Democrats' path to retaking the chamber.
Both candidates are Jewish and pro-Israel, competing in a district where roughly a quarter of the electorate is Jewish — one of the highest concentrations in the country. Singer argues that the Democratic Party's leftward shift on Israel is alienating voters in the district, pointing to recent primary defeats of Democratic incumbents where Israel was a central issue. "The anti-Israel wing, which has taken root in the Democratic Party, is doing the convincing for us," Singer said. "Anti-Israel is winning. It's become the mainstream of the Democratic Party. And longtime Democrats are leaving in droves."
Singer also highlighted the district's changing voter registration, saying it is now about five points more Republican than Democratic, with GOP registration growing since the redraw. "People in Florida have seen the success of our state and seen the craziness other places, and they're voting more conservative," he said. He added that the district includes many residents whose families fled communism, including his own, and that "bringing socialism and communism into the United States is a terrible idea."
Moskowitz, who describes himself as a moderate, pushed back sharply on Singer's characterization. He noted that he defeated a Democratic Socialists of America-backed challenger in the primary while keeping $2 million cash on hand for the general election, and said he expects "we'll have the national resources" to defend the seat. "I go after my party all the time and fight within," Moskowitz said, pointing to his past appointments by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis as evidence of bipartisanship. He dismissed Singer as "the masked singer" who "says things to all sorts of people, tells people what they want to hear, but nobody really knows where he stands."
The heated rhetoric belies a previously closer relationship. Moskowitz claimed Singer endorsed him when he first ran for Congress, though Singer's campaign has denied that, saying it was only a personal call expressing general support for a fellow Jewish, pro-Israel politician. Singer, however, says Moskowitz's voting record shows he has become more partisan since arriving in Washington. "Since he's gotten to Congress, he's been locked up with the Democrats on almost every issue," Singer said. "This is not the sort of record of bipartisanship he once had."
The race has drawn national attention, with Democrats expected to pour significant resources into defending the seat as they seek to counter what House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has called the "cartel" of President Donald Trump. Singer said voters in the district understand the stakes. "A lot of people in this district and beyond understand what's at stake here," he said. "We can't have people talking about communism or new Democrat-incoming members of the House saying horrific things like that they would wipe their hand on the American flag if they didn't have a napkin. That's today's Democratic Party, unfortunately."
For Singer, the path to victory runs through disaffected Democrats and independents. "People are abandoning the Democratic Party because the mainstream Democratic Party of even a few years ago has abandoned them," he said. "We have a great opportunity to pick off disaffected Democrats who are sick with the socialist lean, especially in our community that has a large number of residents who fled communism." The November election will determine whether that strategy pays off in one of the country's most closely watched House races.
