Alex Vindman, a retired Army officer who testified in President Trump’s first impeachment, has launched a Democratic campaign for the U.S. Senate in Florida. If nominated, he will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in a November special election for the remainder of Marco Rubio’s term. Vindman’s announcement video sharply criticizes Trump and draws attention to recent immigration‑enforcement deaths in Minnesota. Democrats say Vindman’s profile and national issues like immigration could make the race competitive despite Florida’s recent shift toward Republicans.
Alex Vindman Launches Democratic Bid For U.S. Senate In Florida
FILE - National Security Council aide Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Nov. 19, 2019, during a public impeachment hearing of President Donald Trump's efforts to tie U.S. aid for Ukraine to investigations of his political opponents. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Alex Vindman, the retired Army officer who became a prominent figure after testifying in President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, announced on Tuesday that he is running as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate in Florida.
Vindman, a former National Security Council official, rose to national attention in 2019 when he and his twin brother raised concerns after President Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate then-candidate Joe Biden. Vindman later was removed from the NSC and retired from the Army following his testimony in the impeachment hearings.
Candidacy And Opposition
If Vindman wins the Democratic primary, he will challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in a November special election to fill the remainder of the term previously held by Marco Rubio. The victor will serve the balance of that term.
In his campaign announcement video, Vindman sharply criticized Trump, calling him a “wannabe tyrant,” and accused federal immigration agents of acting like “thug militias.” The video also highlights the recent deaths of two U.S. citizens during a deportation operation in Minnesota — an episode Vindman used to frame his broader criticism of the administration’s immigration policy.
FILE - Former National Security Council Director for European Affairs Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman walks at the Capitol to review transcripts of his testimony in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, in Washington, Nov. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
“This president unleashed a reign of terror and retribution, not just against me and my family but against all of us,” Vindman said in the announcement.
Broader Context
Vindman is now one of the highest‑profile Democrats to enter the Florida Senate contest as the party seeks to regain a Senate majority this fall. Florida, once a swing state and the declared residence of former President Trump, has shifted toward Republicans in recent years; no Democrat has won a U.S. Senate race in the state since 2012.
Democrats point to Vindman’s name recognition, fundraising potential and national political dynamics — including backlash over immigration enforcement and concerns about economic priorities — as reasons they could be competitive in the race despite challenging statewide headwinds.
Impeachments And Aftermath
Trump denied wrongdoing during his first impeachment and was acquitted by the Senate. He was later impeached a second time over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and was acquitted again. Vindman’s entry adds a spotlighted, high‑profile challenger to what promises to be a closely watched special election in a politically consequential state.
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