Bakari Sellers says Democrats "won't be wasting money in Florida now" and money will go to North Carolina, Ohio and Iowa
Bakari SellersCNN political commentator and former South Carolina state representative, speaking as a panelist; not a DSCC official
On CNN's The Arena, the day after Nixon's primary win, CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers said Democrats will not be wasting money in Florida now. He said money that would have gone to a Senate seat Democrats were not going to win with Alex Vindman as the nominee will go instead to states such as North Carolina, Ohio and possibly Iowa, where he said Democrats can win.
Responding to
Bakari Sellers said on CNN on August 19, 2026 that Democrats will not be wasting money in Florida now because it is a Senate seat Democrats were not going to win, and that the money will go instead to states such as North Carolina, Ohio and possibly Iowa.
“We won't be wasting money in Florida now. We were going to be spending tons of money on a Senate seat that we were not going to win in Vindman instead of spending money in North Carolina and Ohio and maybe even Iowa, Senate seats we can win and now you're going to see that money not go to Florida.”
Original text
Where this statement fits
Are national Democrats holding back money from Angie Nixon's Florida Senate campaign because of her ideology and identity?
On September 24, 2026, Angie Nixon, the Democratic nominee for the Florida U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, told MS NOW that national Democratic leaders are reluctant to fund her campaign and gave two explanations: her progressive politics, and her race and gender. A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) told MS NOW the committee monitors all races closely, including Florida. The committee's executive director, Devan Barber, has said additional investments require additional resources. Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings on record as of September 30, 2026 show a joint fundraising committee that includes the DSCC, a $5,000 contribution from a leadership PAC the FEC lists under Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and DSCC transfers totaling $24,000 to the Democratic Executive Committee of Florida in its July and August reports, but most of the period since the August 18 primary has not yet been reported. This case sets out what each side has said and what the filings show. It does not decide why national Democrats have spent what they have.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
CNN transcript of the program aired Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from 4 to 5 p.m. ET, the day after Nixon's primary win. Sellers, a CNN political commentator, speaks as a panelist. Marc Caputo of Axios adds that Florida has 10 television markets and that a saturation ad campaign costs about $3 million a week.
Before the quotation
Host Kasie Hunt asked how to apply the Florida results going forward. Sellers first said Florida was not a display that the Democratic Socialists of America is on the rise and that a poor candidate lost a race because he ran poorly, then said he had "a blunt message for Democrats."
After the quotation
He added that "the map has a funny way of realigning itself on primary night." Axios reporter Marc Caputo then said Florida has 10 television markets and that a saturation ad campaign costs about $3 million a week. On September 3 Sellers explained his remarks on his podcast (see the next statement).
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Sellers gives winnability as the reason, saying Florida was not a seat Democrats could win even with Vindman, and he welcomes the money going elsewhere. That is a reason other than Nixon's ideology or identity, and it argues the allocation is justified, so we labeled it Defends or excuses. He describes what he expects Democrats to do and does not cite a DSCC decision.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Angie Nixon
More from this case
Read the full caseDSCC executive director says "additional investments require additional resources" as Republicans outspend Democratic candidates
“Republicans are currently flooding core battleground states with money and outspending our candidates dramatically, so while we are excited about opportunities to expand the map further and monitor all races closely, additional investments require additional resources”Read statement
Jones criticizes Democrats' support for Nixon
“that's just a pattern”Read statement
Alford questions Democrats' willingness to invest in Nixon
“what do we get for our loyalty?”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Bakari Sellers says Democrats "won't be wasting money in Florida now" and money will go to North Carolina, Ohio and Iowa". First published: 2026-09-30. Last updated: 2026-09-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/3760-on-cnn-s-the-arena-the-day-after