A ‘Resistance’ Hero Is Running for Congress. Local Democrats Are Frustrated.
A crucial House race is being characterized by unusual drama due to tensions between national, local and online party activists.
Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman, who launched his House campaign in 2017, has been a source of pride for liberal donors all over the country. Former Army officer Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman has leveraged his history of being a Donald Trump foe — he revealed a scandal that led to the first impeachment of Trump in 2019.
Vindman’s campaign has received a less enthusiastic response on the ground in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
Vindman has been accused of being an outsider in his own district by local Democratic officials. He was criticized for not helping local candidates during the state elections last year. They also mocked him for his public mishaps, which they claim have undermined the connection he has to the region.
|
They’ve all said that he campaigns more like a national political figure, and is more interested in taking down Trump than diving deep into local issues.
“I want someone to represent me who knows how it is to live in Fredericksburg. I also want someone who knows Culpeper and King George County.
He added, “We know Donald Trump is a boogeyman at the moment, but we’re also concerned about other real-life problems.”
This primary, more than any other Democratic race in this year, exposes a fault-line between the powerful online fundraising base of Democrats and party activists on the ground, who often lack financial weight but spend years organizing behind-the scenes. Both factions have different priorities, such as anti-Trump credentials versus local connections. They also sometimes support different candidates.
Vindman, who is the front-runner in the primary on June 18, could be the one to win. This is due to the fact that he has raised a lot of money and there are seven candidates in the race. According to local Democratic officials, he has also tried to win over the voters in his district. He has attended small gatherings and introduced himself to them while earning endorsements by some party leaders. In interviews, some voters have said that the concerns of local officials are exaggerated and that Vindman’s history with Trump matters more. This point was also reiterated by party leaders who have endorsed Vindman.
Vindman, in an interview, rejected the notion that his campaign appeals to more Democrats online than to voters in the district. He said that those who criticize Vindman for speaking too much about Trump or failing to support local Democratic candidates during recent elections are missing what the majority of grassroots Democratic voters want.
Vindman stated, “We are 100% certain that [Trump] is the Republican nominee. It’s a binary decision.” It’s him or Biden. In that context, if all hands are not on deck to fight to get the whole ticket, Biden Kaine, and whoever is the nominee for the 7th Congressional District. It has to be done because, frankly, the alternative would be horrific, in my opinion.
It is crucial to know the outcome of the primary in the 7th District, a district that stretches from the suburbs and farms of Washington, D.C., eastward, all the way up to the Shenandoah valley in the west. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic Rep. who is leaving the seat, is expected to make it a competitive general election.
Fundraising concerns
Vindman’s tensions have been repeatedly exposed in the public. Vindman’s sister in law, who is a popular online user, said she would “attack you every time” Cole or anyone else criticize Vindman for his lack of experience in local politics. She later deleted the post and Vindman said in an interview that he “had no chance” of influencing the behavior.
Vindman took a photo with someone who was holding a Confederate flag in Virginia last month. This drew a scathing response from Democratic State Sen. L. Louise Lucas, (who later endorsed Vindman’s opponent). He later apologized.
It’s not hard to see why the candidate has become a minor sensation with liberal donors. Alexander Vindman’s testimony at a congressional hearing on impeachment in 2019 that Trump had improperly pressed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to provide information about Joe Biden put him under international spotlight. Eugene Vindman guided his brother through Trump’s impeachment, filed a report as a whistleblower about Trump’s phone call and was demoted later by Trump.
Eugene Vindman acknowledges that some voters mistake him for his brother. His brother was more visible during Trump’s impeachment, and he looks just like him. One local Democratic official jokingly joked that half the voters who attended a Vindman meet-and greet at her house thought Eugene was his brother.
Alexander Vindman plays a crucial role in his campaign.
“When people say that you can’t have two places open at the same time, we will challenge that notion,” Eugene Vindman said, noting that sometimes even his parents cannot tell the difference. “And he will work hard and we are 100% supportive of each other.”
Vindman emigrated to the United States from Ukraine when he was a child. He received endorsements from VoteVets, high-profile Democrats such as Rep. Adam Schiff, and held fundraising events (alongside his brother) for “Star Wars” star Mark Hamill. They helped him raise money.
Vindman has raised $3.8 million, or roughly 15 times as much as his closest Democratic opponent. According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Vindman raised more than double in California and New York ($280,000) than he did in Virginia ($120,000). According to the FEC, 75% of his contributions were less than $200. Opensecrets.org discovered that 92% of his contributions came from outside Virginia.
Vindman also has raised more money in Virginia than any of his rivals. The candidate wants to argue that his ability to raise money, no matter where it comes from, should be seen as an asset in the general election against the GOP nominee.
Vindman stated during a candidate’s forum in Fredericksburg last month that “this is a seat which we must win if we are to win the House back.” “So, when you think about holding office, what do you consider?
