Former National Security Council aide Alexander Vindman announced on Tuesday that he will run for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat in Florida. Vindman was a key player in President Donald Trump's first impeachment and has since become a fierce critic.
Vindman, a lieutenant colonel in the Army, was assigned to the security council in 2019 when he filed a whistleblower report with superiors saying Trump pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, who was a Democratic candidate for president at the time. In a telephone call that Trump later described as "perfect," he appeared to tie U.S. military aid to Ukraine to the country's willingness to launch a probe against Biden.
Vindman was a star witness during impeachment proceedings against Trump in the House. Although the House impeached Trump, the case failed to get the 60 votes necessary in the Senate to remove him from office.
After retiring from the military, Vindman went on to publish two books and worked for VoteVets, an organization that helps elect veterans to public office. His twin brother, Eugene Vindman, was elected to Congress as a Democrat in 2024, representing the state of Virginia.
Vindman is challenging GOP Sen. Ashley Moody, a former state attorney general who took Marco Rubio's seat last year when he became secretary of state. She has Trump's endorsement and is running in a heavily Republican state.
Politico reports that Vindman likely has an uphill battle,...
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