Alex Vindman, a former national security official who played a key role in the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, lost a stunning upset to a progressive challenger in Florida’s U.S. Senate race Tuesday.
Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon overcame a staggering 16-to-1 spending differential to win, instead relying on a robust ground operation in what was expected to be a low-turnout primary. Given Florida’s status as a solidly red state that broke for Trump by double digits in 2024, the matchup saw no public polling before the primary — giving little indication that Nixon stood much of a chance against the name recognition and massive war chest of her opponent.
Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, is the latest resistance hero from Trump’s first term to stumble at the ballot box. The former national security official served as a witness during Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2019, testifying to his concerns about a phone call between the president and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump pressured his counterpart to investigate Joe Biden.