Moskowitz vs. Singer: Florida's Redrawn 25th District Goes to Voters in One of the Nation's Most Expensive House Races

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Republican Scott Singer, the former mayor of Boca Raton, meet at the ballot box Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Florida's newly redrawn 25th Congressional District, a coastal seat that national Republicans drew to flip and that CBS Miami has described as set to be the most expensive House race in the country. The contest is one of a handful of South Florida races that could shape which party controls the U.S. House next year.

A district with no true predecessor

The 25th District is a product of the mid-decade congressional map Florida Republicans adopted in 2026. The new lines, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in May after his office sent the plan to legislative leaders, were designed to flip four seats now held by Democrats, according to reporting by the Florida Phoenix published by WLRN.

The redrawn 25th runs as a narrow coastal strip from Delray Beach in Palm Beach County through Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, parts of Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood in Broward County, down to Miami Beach in Miami-Dade County. Inside Elections analysts, quoted by Ballotpedia, said the district has no true predecessor and was formed from pieces left over after Democratic-leaning voters were packed into three neighboring districts. According to Ballotpedia, about 46% of its population came from the old 23rd District, about 30% from the old 24th and about 16% from the old 25th.

The partisan math favors Republicans on paper. Donald Trump beat Kamala Harris 54.2% to 45.0% within the new boundaries in 2024, according to calculations by The Downballot cited by Ballotpedia. Joe Biden carried the same territory by about five points in 2020, WLRN reported. About a quarter of the district's residents are Jewish, and both candidates are Jewish.

Who is running

Moskowitz, a two-term congressman seeking a third term, was first elected in 2022 in the old 23rd District. His resume runs through nearly every level of Florida government: the Parkland City Commission from 2006 to 2012, the Florida House from 2012 to 2019, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management under DeSantis, and a stint on the Broward County Commission in 2022, according to Ballotpedia. He beat progressive challenger Oliver Larkin, who was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, with more than two-thirds of the vote in the Aug. 18 primary, WLRN reported.

Singer served as Boca Raton's mayor from 2018 to 2026 and is a fellow at the America First Policy Institute, according to Ballotpedia. He won a crowded Republican primary the same night and now has Trump's endorsement, according to WLRN. Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro has also backed him.

Florida Politics noted that the two men have more in common than their campaigns suggest: both are Jewish lawyers with South Florida roots and long local resumes, and both say Washington needs fixing. Libertarian Peter Jassenoff and write-in candidate Michaelangelo Hamilton are also on the ballot, according to Ballotpedia.

The money and the ratings

The fundraising race started in Singer's favor. In the first quarter of 2026, Singer reported raising $1.35 million to $429,000 for Moskowitz. That flipped after the primary. Florida Politics reported that Moskowitz raised nearly $2.1 million between July 30 and Sept. 30, entering October with more than $1.8 million on hand and a cycle total above $5 million, while Singer raised less than $686,000 over the same span and had raised about $3 million for the cycle, including more than $724,000 in loans from himself.

Outside money has followed the shifting ratings. The Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the seat a toss-up through the summer. By late October, WLRN reported that Cook rated the district Lean Democrat, giving Moskowitz a slight edge. Around the same time, the Congressional Leadership Fund, the top Republican House super PAC, canceled $6 million in planned television advertising in the market, according to Punchbowl News as cited by WLRN and Florida Politics.

Both national parties still treat the seat as a priority. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee placed Moskowitz in its Frontline program for vulnerable incumbents, and the National Republican Congressional Committee added Singer to its MAGA Majority initiative, Florida Politics reported.

Public polling has been limited to partisan surveys. An internal poll released by Republicans showed Singer leading 49% to 42% among likely voters. A day later, a survey for House Majority PAC, the main Democratic House super PAC, showed Moskowitz ahead 47% to 42%.

Where they differ

The candidates' closing arguments have centered on cost of living and independence. Moskowitz has emphasized property insurance relief, protecting health coverage and safeguarding retirement benefits, while Singer has stressed spending restraint and tax cuts, according to Florida Politics.

In an interview with CBS Miami, Moskowitz said, "We have to lower costs for the American people," and argued Singer would be a rubber stamp for the Trump administration. Singer told the station, "We need to get that spending under control," and rejected the rubber-stamp label, saying, "I'm not a rubber stamp for anyone." Singer has argued that Moskowitz votes with what he called the Democratic Party's socialist wing.

On immigration, Singer has blamed the Biden administration for illegal crossings and said the executive branch should enforce the law, while Moskowitz has criticized Trump for ending Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans and Haitians and for Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Miami, CBS Miami reported. Singer and Shapiro have also pointed out that none of the bills Moskowitz introduced as lead sponsor has become law, according to Florida Politics.

The Boca Raton forum

The two candidates met at a forum on Oct. 20 at Congregation B'nai Israel in Boca Raton, moderated by Sun Sentinel political writer Anthony Man. Singer had pressed for a televised debate, which Moskowitz declined, according to CBS Miami.

Antisemitism dominated the early exchanges, WLRN reported. Moskowitz pointed to his record, saying "every single solitary piece of legislation fighting antisemitism, standing up for Israel, has my name on it." Singer countered, "My opponent talks a good game, but his votes tell a different story," and proposed cutting federal funding to institutions that accept foreign money.

On Iran, Moskowitz said he supported U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities but said "The president's strategy on the Strait of Hormuz has been a total disaster." Singer backed the administration's approach. On Russia, Singer defended a temporary suspension of sanctions, while Moskowitz called Vladimir Putin a war criminal and said easing sanctions would help fund the war in Ukraine.

Singer pledged, "I'll vote to ban congressional stock trading," and accused Moskowitz of frequent trades. Moskowitz said an outside firm manages his investments and that he follows all disclosure rules. On Social Security, Moskowitz said he supports raising the cap on taxable earnings and opposes benefit cuts, while Singer said he would prioritize economic growth and cutting waste over tax increases. Singer also credited his administration in Boca Raton with tax cuts, lighter regulation and what he described as a 25% drop in crime.

Why it matters for Florida

The race is a test of whether the 2026 map delivers the gains Republicans in Tallahassee designed it to produce. Moskowitz is one of several Florida Democratic incumbents, along with Kathy Castor and Darren Soto, who were drawn into tougher seats. The neighboring 22nd District, now an open seat stretching from Palm Beach County to Marco Island, is another Republican target on the same map.

For voters along the Gold Coast, the issues the candidates have argued over are local as much as national: property insurance costs, the price of groceries and gas, and the future of Social Security.

What's next

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Results from the Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade supervisors of elections will be combined to decide the seat, and because the district crosses three counties, a close finish could take longer to call than a single-county race. The winner will take office in January.