St. Petersburg City Councilman Richie Floyd at Equality Park in Broward County, Florida on Aug. 14, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa bay
Tuesday marks the end of Florida’s 2026 Primary Election, and three DSA candidates were finally able to hold their “Chomp The Oligarchy” rally in South Florida despite being forced to change venues twice.
The gathering was in support of three candidates: substitute teacher Elijah Manley, Florida Rep. Angie Nixon, and union organizer Oliver Larkin. Nixon and Larkin are members of the insurgent Democratic Socialists of America. They are all running against center-right Democrats in South Florida, where voters have been reluctant to embrace progressive candidates.
Rep. Nixon and Larkin—both Democratic Socialists—and Manley were supported last Friday by St. Petersburg’s own DSA city councilman, Richie Floyd. The 34-year-old, who won re-election over the summer after no one stepped up to run against him, was met at the podium with “DSA” chants.
The rally landed at The Pride Center at Equality Park, located in Broward County’s Wilton Manors neighborhood. That was after cancellations at two venues—The Venue and the Downtown Event Center in Fort Lauderdale—who came under pressure from both Democratic Rep. Michael Gottlieb and a far-right failed congressional candidate who’s described herself as a #proudislamaphobe.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (L) and Elijah Manley at Equality Park in Broward County, Florida on Aug. 14, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
The backlash bubbled up after organizers booked an appearance from Michigan’s Rep. Rashida Tlaib. The 50-year-old is the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress and was among the first to lead a growing coalition of voices unafraid to criticize the Israeli government’s actions against Palestine and the outsized spending by AIPAC, a lobbying group that’s rarely pushed back on the actions of the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Reps for organizer Gen Z For Change told multiple outlets that The Venue gave them an ultimatum: uninvite Tlaib or cancel the event. In a statement, The Venue said, “Our values and commitment to the Jewish community are deeply important to us.”
Nixon’s U.S. Senate primary opponent is Lt. Col. Alex Vindman who is refusing to debate the longtime Florida Representative. His wife was also forced to delete social media posts criticizing Nixon’s clothing.
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida activist and politician candidate, ELIJAH MANLEY whom is running against Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Floridas’ 20th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayCredit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida activist and politician candidate, ELIJAH MANLEY whom is running against Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Floridas’ 20th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida activist and politician candidate, ELIJAH MANLEY whom is running against Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Floridas’ 20th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida activist and politician candidate, ELIJAH MANLEY whom is running against Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Floridas’ 20th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida activist and politician candidate, ELIJAH MANLEY whom is running against Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Floridas’ 20th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayA sign that reads Cjomp the Oligarchy on a podium as Florida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district begins a rally to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district poses for a portrait before he rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayCrowds in support as Florida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayCrowds in support as Florida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayCrowds in support as Florida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayCrowds in support as Florida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida Democratic Socialist, OLIVER LARKIN whom is running against Jared Moskowitz in Floridas’ 25th district poses for a portrait before he rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida State Representative from the 13th district, ANGIE NIXON, who is running to primary former director of European affairs Alex Vindman rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida State Representative from the 13th district, ANGIE NIXON, who is running to primary former director of European affairs Alex Vindman rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida State Representative from the 13th district, ANGIE NIXON, who is running to primary former director of European affairs Alex Vindman rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida State Representative from the 13th district, ANGIE NIXON, who is running to primary former director of European affairs Alex Vindman rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida State Representative from the 13th district, ANGIE NIXON, who is running to primary former director of European affairs Alex Vindman rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida State Representative from the 13th district, ANGIE NIXON, who is running to primary former director of European affairs Alex Vindman rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida State Representative from the 13th district, ANGIE NIXON, who is running to primary former director of European affairs Alex Vindman rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayFlorida State Representative from the 13th district, ANGIE NIXON, who is running to primary former director of European affairs Alex Vindman rallies to a crowd of hundreds in Fort Lauderdale with support from Michigan District 12 Congresswoman RASHIDA TLAIB and others who are running for seats in the Florida Democratic primaries on August 18th. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...
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