Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon has addressed criticism of her remarks on Cuba after CBS News corrected its initial portrayal of her response. The clarification follows a wave of bipartisan backlash over her answer to whether she considers Cuba a dictatorship.
Nixon’s original statement and correction
Nixon, who has not visited Cuba, told CBS News in an interview that she relies on accounts from Cubans who describe the country as a dictatorship. Her initial response—"You know, that is what people have told me. I have never been to Cuba, and so I will have to take their word for it"—sparked controversy. She later pushed back on CBS’s characterization, arguing in a post on X that the network misrepresented her remarks. CBS subsequently deleted its original post and republished the interview with an editor’s note acknowledging the earlier version "did not accurately portray Rep. Nixon’s answer."
Bipartisan criticism persists
Criticism of Nixon’s response has come from both Democratic and Republican figures. Phil Ehr, the Democratic nominee in Florida’s 28th Congressional District, expressed concerns about her remarks during campaigning in South Florida, citing conversations with Cuban-American voters. Meanwhile, Joe Concha, a columnist for the Washington Examiner, criticized Nixon on Fox News, stating that her response was inadequate and suggesting it could harm her electoral prospects.
Nixon’s defense and broader context
Nixon defended her position in a follow-up post on X, writing: "I clearly state in this clip that while I have not personally been to Cuba, I have spoken with Cubans who have described it as a dictatorship, and I believe them." She also accused CBS of "misinformation" for its initial framing. The incident has drawn attention amid Nixon’s campaign as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a group whose affiliation has been a point of contention in Florida’s politically charged climate.