Jennifer Jenkins drops out of the Democratic Senate race and endorses Alexander Vindman

By Mitch Perry, The Florida Phoenix

Jennifer Jenkins is dropping out of the Florida U.S. Senate primary and endorsing Alexander Vindman, the retired Army lieutenant colonel who played a key role in the first Trump impeachment and announced his candidacy on Tuesday.

Jenkins is a former Brevard County school board member and was the first prominent Democrat to enter the race for the seat now held by Republican Ashley Moody.

“This campaign has never been about me. It has always been about Floridians, and making sure our families have a representative who fights for us,” Jenkins says in a video posted on X.

“I got into this race because I believe Florida can be better — because I refuse to accept a future where parents are forced to choose between rent, groceries, and healthcare, while politicians are busy playing power games and fighting culture wars.

“I’m stepping out of this race, but I am not stepping out of the fight. This is a moment for us to unite, to focus on what’s right, and to do what it will take to defeat Ashley Moody,” she added, promising to announce her “next steps in the coming days.”

The Vindman campaign announced it had raised a startling $1.7 million in the first 24 hours after announcing his candidacy. He received more than 36,000 contributions, 99% of them online donations of $100 or less, the campaign said.

“I am grateful for the support of so many Floridians who donated to fuel our campaign, and our historic first-day showing makes clear that Floridians are ready to end the chaos and corruption and fire elite politicians like Ashley Moody who have rigged the system for themselves,” Vindman said in a press release Wednesday.

Vindman’s announcement and immediate influx of campaign contributions has moved one nonpartisan political analysis and handicapping newsletter, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, to move the Florida U.S. Senate race from “safely Republican” to “likely Republican.”

Despite the fact that he has never ran for political office, Vindman is a known brand in progressive circles. He was working for the National Security Council and testified in front of Congress in 2019 about a phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that led to Trump’s first impeachment.

Trump fired Vindman in 2020, shortly after the Senate acquitted the president.

Vindman’s twin brother, Eugene Vindman, was also ousted by Trump from his role as an attorney with the National Security Council.

Eugene Vindman went on to win a congressional seat in Virginia in November 2024, raising nearly $18 million. That was the third most money for any congressional candidate in that election cycle, trailing only House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. He has continued to raise large campaign contributions, fueling excitement among Florida Democrats that Alexander Vindman also can raise large amounts against Moody.

Moody remains the prohibitive favorite, as Republicans have a more than 1.4 million voter registration advantage over Democrats in Florida. The margins of the past two U.S. Senate races for Republicans were 13 points (for Rick Scott in 2024) and 16 points (for Marco Rubio in 2022), respectively.

Jacksonville Democratic Rep. Angie Nixon entered the Democratic race for Senate last week and so far shows no indication she is backing out.

“It’s amazing that we have some pretty great candidates to choose from that have good qualities,” Nixon said Tuesday in a written statement. “At the end of the day, I look forward to earning your vote because that’s what democracy is all about. And let me be clear. I am a Florida girl through and through. I am not running against anyone. Instead, I am running for the hardworking people of this great state.”