A segment attributed to MS NOW is drawing attention after reporter Alex Tabet described Republicans’ “incorrect conflation” of communism and democratic socialism—and warned that, if it sticks, it could hurt Democratic socialist Angie Nixon with Florida’s Cuban voters.
What the clip shows
According to a transcript posted by NewsBusters and a clip shared on X by user Nick (@nspin310) on August 19, 2026, NBC’s Peter Alexander introduced “the Senate primary,” calling Nixon “the Democratic socialist” and noting she “scored a surprise win against Alexander Vindman despite a massive fundraising difference between the two,” before asking whether Democrats are confident or “anxious” in a red state.
In response, Alex Tabet said: “There is a skittishness here on the ground in Florida. I just got off the phone with a Democratic strategist here in the state who reminded me that the general election electorate versus the primary electorate is very different here in Florida. In Florida, you’ve got about a million and a half more registered Republicans than Democrats. You also have about 1.6 million members of the Cuban diaspora. Those Cubans often lean conservative. Many of them have a strong aversion towards communism. What we’ve been hearing from Republican politicians, from President Trump on down, is a conflation, an incorrect conflation, of communism and democratic socialism. If that messaging sticks, that could be a serious issue for Angie Nixon.”
Why it matters in Florida, per the segment
The quoted remarks emphasize two dynamics: voter registration numbers cited by Tabet that favor Republicans, and the size and views of Florida’s Cuban diaspora. Tabet framed Republicans’ messaging as an “incorrect” merging of communism with democratic socialism and suggested that could be a decisive factor for Nixon in a general election.
How the Gateway Pundit framed it
The Gateway Pundit’s write-up by Mike LaChance characterizes the segment as a reporter suggesting Cuban voters “might not understand the difference” between communism and democratic socialism. The article also asserts that “multiple members of the DSA have stated clearly, on camera, that their ultimate goal is communism.” These are the outlet’s claims; the supplied transcript does not include the “might not understand” wording, and no sourcing for the DSA claim is provided in the material we reviewed.
