Once a national security adviser with the president’s ear, Alex Vindman is now running for the U.S. Senate, taking on Florida Republican Sen. Ashley Moody as a Democrat.
What is Alex Vindman famous for?
Vindman gained national attention after testifying about a phone call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump urged Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden.
“It was inappropriate,” Vindman said during his high-profile hearing. “It was improper for the president to request, to demand an investigation into a political opponent, especially a foreign power, where there is at best a dubious belief that this could be an impartial investigation and that this would have significant implications if it became public knowledge.”
In the aftermath of the 2019 impeachment hearings, Trump, GOP lawmakers and conservative allies sharply criticized Vindman, accusing him of disloyalty, insubordination and improperly sharing sensitive information.
His former titles include:
Where does he live?
Vindman and his wife, Rachel, moved to the South Florida area in 2023 after he retired from the Army. The Florida Phoenix reported that Vindman chose to settle in Broward County because he has a close friend from his first military assignment who lives in Hollywood, and he has visited the friend and the area for more than a decade.
When is Vindman visiting The Villages?
His campaign is heading to The Villages on Sunday, May 31, for a rally titled “Using Your Voice Against Injustice.”
Villagers will line up their golf carts or chairs between the cart path and Morse Boulevard and greet Vindman and his wife as they arrive by golf cart around 9:30 a.m. Vindman will greet attendees along the route.
A five-cart caravan will leave around 8:55 a.m. from the public lot next to the Citizens First Bank Drive-thru, 1130 Old Camp Road. Vindman will be in Cart 3, and his wife will be in Cart 4. They will head south on Morse Boulevard to Stillwater Trail.
“The retired Army lieutenant colonel will be joining Villagers and others from neighboring communities in a peaceful, sign-holding rally,” said LaRae Donnellan, rally committee chair of The Villages Democratic Club.
Does Vindman have a winning chance?
The event will take place between 9and 10:30 a.m. along Morse Boulevard near Lake Sumter Landing.
In a recently redistricted state that pundits say will favor Republicans, Moody enters the general election with some notable advantages: She has Trump’s endorsement, the support of most of Florida’s Republican elected officials and law enforcement across the state, as well as the statewide GOP turnout.
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power called him a “Schiff puppet” and “traitor.” He told WESH 2 that voters “are not going to support a [U.S. Senator Adam] Schiff puppet who is running, who has been a traitor to America and been a traitor to this president.”
Still, Vindman has posted strong fundraising numbers, raising more than $8 million so far this year for what’s been considered a safe Republican seat, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
“My opponent, as the attorney general, gave a pass to big insurance companies. She was happy to take big pharma money while she sits on the Health Committee in the Senate. How do you think that plays out? She’s happy to engage in stock trades, some worth $2 million, using insider information that only Congress gets. I think that is wrong and should be illegal,” the Democratic candidate said about Moody, reported by the Tallahassee Democrat.
What is his platform?
Leveraging his status as a U.S. veteran, Vindman made his announcement last month in front of Florida’s World War II Memorial after filing state qualifying papers.
At the event, Vindman told supporters that the expected Senate battle between him and Moody is a “collision between corrupt politicians and corporate interests,” and called himself a “fighter for basic necessities” like health care and housing.
“For many people, Vindman is a hero and a role model for how to speak truth to power,” Donnellan said in a media release for the event.
Added Donnellan: “When he testified before the House Intelligence Committee in 2019 during Trump’s first impeachment trial, Vindman decided that his oath to protect the Constitution was more important than staying quiet. That took courage.”
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: What we know about U.S. Senate candidate Vindman and his visit to The Villages
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
