Angie Nixon hits back after JD Vance says she does not belong in America

Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon has condemned Vice President JD Vance's assertion that she "does not belong in America," calling his remarks deeply disrespectful and a calculated distraction from the economic struggles of everyday voters.

VP Vance made the hostile remarks during a campaign stop in Lakeland, Florida, aiming his fire at the Florida state representative whose Senate campaign has recently begun drawing fresh national attention and funding.

Speaking to CBS News Miami, Nixon expressed disbelief at the personal nature of the attack. "It's really disheartening, especially knowing that I come from folks who helped build this country," she said. "My grandparents were sharecroppers in southern Georgia. And all I want for people is to have access to quality healthcare, to have access to fully funded public schools, for people to have homes to live in and not have to worry about living on the streets."

Nixon, who has faced persistent attempts by political opponents to paint her as an extremist, rejected the labels outright. "There's absolutely nothing radical or extreme about that," she said. "I don't consider myself a socialist, I consider myself a lifelong Democrat who puts people over party, people over politics, and people over profit."

In a separate interview on MS NOW, Nixon described the "get out of the US" rhetoric as a classic diversion tactic. The clash comes as her campaign secures new funding from national Democrats, signalling growing confidence in her platform.

While Vance has ramped up personal attacks on the campaign trail, he has also been working behind the scenes to solidify his standing as the frontrunner for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. Earlier in the week, he appeared at a "Make America Healthy Again" summit in Washington alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., where he took aim at undocumented immigrants, accusing them of driving healthcare fraud.

Yet back in Florida, Nixon insisted that voters are more concerned with their own rising costs than the Vice President's talking points. She argued that the focus must remain on public services and housing security, rather than the personal feuds being stoked from national campaign stages.