Campaign Website: https://vindmanforcongress.com/

Campaign POC: Unavailable

Phone Number: Unavailable

Campaign Email:
info@vindmanforcongress.com

Vetting Panel Selected: Refused

Structured Interview Completed: Refused

Biography: Eugene Vindman was born in Soviet Ukraine to a Jewish family during the height of the Cold War. When he was three years old, his mother died of cancer and his father Seymon fled from the bigoted, authoritarian regime with Eugene, his twin brother Alex, their older brother Len, and their Grandmother. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Eugene’s family arrived in New York City as refugees on Christmas Eve, 1979 with just $759 to their name, but with a deep faith in the American dream. His father Seymon got a job hauling furniture for $20 a day while he taught himself English. Eventually, he taught himself enough to pass an engineering exam for the city of New York to get a job as a “sandhog” building tunnels underneath the city as a member of AFSCME District Council 3. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Eugene, Alex, and Len attended public schools in Brooklyn, and after graduating from FDR High School Eugene attended SUNY Binghamton and enrolled in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Cornell as the next step in his years-long goal to join the Army and serve the country that had given him and his family so much. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

It was also at Binghamton University where Eugene met his wife Cindy who was studying Biology, she ultimately became a Molecular Geneticist. After graduating from College, Eugene was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. He and Cindy began what would become a 25-year career in the Army. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Eugene spent the first half of his career in the Army as a Paratrooper and Infantry officer, then after putting himself through Law School once Cindy had finished her PHD and they were raising their son, Max, he became an officer in the JAG Corps. As a JAG Eugene served across the country and around the globe. As a JAG he served as a prosecutor where he fought to protect servicewomen from sexual predators and held serious felons accountable, as well as a battlefield advisor on the law of war to U.S. Forces-Iraq & General Lloyd Austin. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

In 2016, Eugene was assigned to the Pentagon, and he and Cindy settled near family in Dale City, Virginia. Later, he joined the National Security Council (NSC) as a Legal Advisor focused on international partnerships, human rights, and ethics, and eventually became the NSC’s Senior Ethics Official in the White House. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

On July 25, 2019, Eugene’s twin brother, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who also served on the NSC, listened in to President Trump’s call with the President of Ukraine where Trump attempted to extort Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden. Alex reported the call to Eugene, and together they reported it up the chain of command. Trump was impeached for this attack on our democracy, but he was never held accountable. Two days after he was acquitted by the Senate he fired Alex and Eugene from the White House. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Now, Eugene has a new mission. He is running for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District to continue his service to others and defend our American values. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Eugene is ready to stand up to attacks from MAGA Republicans on our most fundamental rights – from a woman’s right to access abortion care, a student’s right to learn in a safe, high quality public school, a worker’s ability to enter the middle class, or a voter’s right to make their voice heard. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

In Congress, Eugene will be an advocate for every community in the 7th district, bringing folks together around our shared values, and leading with integrity to make sure every voter can trust that he is fighting for them. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

 

Why you? Refused to answer.

What are your priorities? 

PROTECTING ABORTION RIGHTS
This past election in 2023 demonstrated that Virginians will not stand for their reproductive freedoms being taken away. I cannot imagine my daughter growing up in a world where women have fewer rights than the one that my wife and I grew up in. The bottom line is Donald Trump appointed justices to the Supreme Court who overturned Roe V. Wade, and if he is elected president a national ban could be enacted. We need someone with experience standing up to Trump to protect abortion rights in VA. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

In Congress, I will stand up to MAGA Republicans and protect a woman’s right to an abortion. These MAGA Republicans won’t just stop with just abortion. They’ve already promised to ban forms of birth control and fertility like IVF – and they want access to women’s private medical records to do it. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

PRESERVING DEMOCRACY
When my brother and I blew the whistle on President Trump after he attempted to extort President Zelesnky in Ukraine into investigating his political rival, we knew we were sacrificing our military career but we knew it was the right thing to do. Preserving Democracy in the face of Authoritarian leadership whether at home or abroad. Whether it’s Donald Trump using the office of the presidency for political retaliation or Vladmir Putin’s illegal war that he’s waging in Ukraine, I will always stand for the people and stand for Democracy. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

PASSING GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION
From Virginia Tech to Virginia Beach, Virginia has experienced terrible mass shootings. It’s crucial that our kids feel safe in their schools, and that we can go into our places of worship and not feel susceptible to gun violence. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

As a father I know this firsthand – when my son was in High School he had to go into lockdown because of a gun found at his school, like any parent my mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario. Thankfully no child was harmed that day, but we find too often that isn’t the case. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

That’s why it’s time to pass universal background checks; close the gun show loophole; institute red flag laws nationally; and require training, certification, licensing, and safe storage requirements nationally. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

As a Veteran, I learned to use, and respect my weapon – that is why I know weapons of war have no place on our streets. We can come together to pass common-sense legislation that will keep our communities and children safe. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

LGBT RIGHTS
I am proud to be an ally for LGBT rights. Part of our nation’s creed is commitment to equality for all under the law. If we are not protecting those among us who have historically been most vulnerable, we are not being true to fundamental values. I am committed to ensuring that all Americans are treated with dignity and respect. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

ADDRESSING IMMIGRATION
My father came to America with less than $800 bucks in his pocket and was able to create a good life for myself and my brothers. We achieved the success we know today thanks to him. I believe that immigration has always been a strength for this nation and my story is a good example of this. For too long politicians in Washington have passed the buck, and that stops now. We need fair, safe and strong immigration reforms. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
This issue is deeply personal to me not just because of my heritage but because of my life’s work to protect our own national security. Our nation must do much more to support Ukraine in Russia’s illegal war, and we must also continue to denounce the human rights atrocities that are being committed by the Russians. This support means financial and military resources. If we let up, Putin wins. It’s that simple. Russia must be defeated to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and re-establish a rules-based order which will dissuade other autocrats from attacking their weaker neighbors. Ultimately, this is about keeping U.S. armed forces from having to be boots on the ground in Europe, Asia or elsewhere down the road. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Local Issues
AGRICULTURE
In Northern and Central Virginia Agriculture is a critical issue. Farmers throughout the region are not only pivotal to our local economies but they also keep our communities fed. Agriculture is also important in the non-rural, urban and exurban portion of VA-07, where local residents rely on nutritional assistance stewarded by their member of congress. Therefore, I will be a consistent advocate in Congress for family farms that produce crops and maintain livestock, and I will work with local officials on conservation and open space preservation. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

EXPANDING ACCESS TO RURAL BROADBAND
In our modern society, individual and community access to broadband is an absolute necessity. It is critical that our federal representation steps in, learns from individual communities what their needs are, and then delivers for them in Washington through continued investment in infrastructure. It’s about tackling the digital divide and ensuring our rural communities can participate in our 21st century economy. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

COMBATTING BOOK BANS
From Spotsylvania to Madison and King George, Viginian families are dealing with the rising threat of MAGA extremists on school boards who are actively banning books on the holocaust and slavery to satisfy a false flag political agenda with an authoritarian bent. As the next Congressman from this area, I will work tirelessly with localities to ensure that my time in office is a threat to extremism everywhere. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

INNOVATION AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
For more than a hundred years America has been at the forefront of technological change. These emerging fields bring fantastic opportunities but without proper regulation can bring significant risk. We need an approach that allows American innovation to flourish but protects consumers and business and makes clear what the rules are. These technologies also have significant implications for national security. Policy Makers need to be cognizant of these implications. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

BLOCKCHAIN AND CRYPTO TECHNOLOGIES
The idea of the blockchain solves a really important problem in the digital and physical economy- trust. An immutable public ledger has already shown itself to be a valuable technology in areas ranging from shipping around the world all the way down to a new way of doing finance. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

GENERATIVE AI
AI has the potential to fuel our economic growth for the coming decades but also presents a host of potential downsides from classroom cheating all the way up to job loss and significant economic and political disruption. Like any technology it can be used for good or bad objectives. It is important that Congress and regulators create an environment that allows for innovation to flourish while also having clear rules for the road and ensuring strong consumer protections to prevent this technology from being abused. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Endorsements: No endorsements on website.

Education: After graduating from College, Eugene was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. He and Cindy began what would become a 25-year career in the Army. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Eugene spent the first half of his career in the Army as a Paratrooper and Infantry officer, then after putting himself through Law School once Cindy had finished her PHD and they were raising their son, Max, he became an officer in the JAG Corps. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Relevant Employment History: See biography above.

Military Experience / Branch / Years of Service / Rank / Type of Discharge: After graduating from College, Eugene was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. He and Cindy began what would become a 25-year career in the Army. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Eugene spent the first half of his career in the Army as a Paratrooper and Infantry officer, then after putting himself through Law School once Cindy had finished her PHD and they were raising their son, Max, he became an officer in the JAG Corps. As a JAG Eugene served across the country and around the globe. As a JAG he served as a prosecutor where he fought to protect servicewomen from sexual predators and held serious felons accountable, as well as a battlefield advisor on the law of war to U.S. Forces-Iraq & General Lloyd Austin. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

In 2016, Eugene was assigned to the Pentagon, and he and Cindy settled near family in Dale City, Virginia. Later, he joined the National Security Council (NSC) as a Legal Advisor focused on international partnerships, human rights, and ethics, and eventually became the NSC’s Senior Ethics Official in the White House. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

Past Offices Held and Tenure: No mention on website.

Community Service: No mention on website.

Leadership Experience: See biography above.

Personal Strengths: Refused to answer. 

What is the most important thing Virginians need to know about you? Refused to answer.

How would your friends and family describe you? Refused to answer.
 

What are your thoughts on the Constitution as the Law of the Land? Refused to answer. No reference to the US Constitution on website. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

 

What are your thoughts on religious liberty? Refused to answer. No reference to religious liberty on website. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

What are your thoughts on the preservation of our history? Refused to answer. No reference to the preservation of history on website. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

What are your thought on government transparency? Refused to answer. No reference to government transparency on website. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

What are your thoughts on national defense? Refused to answer. 

SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
This issue is deeply personal to me not just because of my heritage but because of my life’s work to protect our own national security. Our nation must do much more to support Ukraine in Russia’s illegal war, and we must also continue to denounce the human rights atrocities that are being committed by the Russians. This support means financial and military resources. If we let up, Putin wins. It’s that simple. Russia must be defeated to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and re-establish a rules-based order which will dissuade other autocrats from attacking their weaker neighbors. Ultimately, this is about keeping U.S. armed forces from having to be boots on the ground in Europe, Asia or elsewhere down the road. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

INNOVATION AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
For more than a hundred years America has been at the forefront of technological change. These emerging fields bring fantastic opportunities but without proper regulation can bring significant risk. We need an approach that allows American innovation to flourish but protects consumers and business and makes clear what the rules are. These technologies also have significant implications for national security. Policy Makers need to be cognizant of these implications. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

What are your thoughts on the free enterprise system? Refused to answer. No reference to the free enterprise system on website. Professes values contrary to the values of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

What are your thoughts on the protection of the unborn? Refused to answer. Professes values contrary to the values of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

What are your thoughts on the role the family plays in America? Refused to answer. No reference to the role or importance of the family  on website. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

What are your thoughts on equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes? Refused to answer. Professes values contrary to the values of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

 

What are your thoughts on the 2nd Amendment? Refused to answer. Professes values contrary to the values of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://vindmanforcongress.com/)

  

Additional sources of information on this candidate:

Opinion Story from USA Today on Necessity to Support Ukraine’s ongoing Efforts (Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2023/10/09/russia-war-crimes-ukraine-zelenskyy-support-us-house-gop/71057172007/)