Trump whistleblower running for key House seat

• He is the first Democrat set to launch a bid for Spanberger's seat following her announcement that she's entering the 2025 Virginia governor's race.
• Semafor first reported on his intention to run for the seat. Axios first reported in October that he'd been considering a run.
• Vindman's team appears to have launched a fundraising page.

Context: Vindman, a former National Security Council official and Army lieutenant colonel, was dismissed from his role as a senior lawyer and ethics official in 2020 alongside Alexander.

• Both born in Ukraine, the Vindmans played key roles during Trump's first impeachment over the president's 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to open a corruption investigation of Joe Biden.
• Alexander was a star witness during hearings, while Eugene had flagged Trump's activity at the time to his superior, The Washington Post reported.

What he's saying: "I'm not your typical candidate," Vindman told The Washington Post ahead of a formal announcement.

• "The bottom line is that I want to serve my community. I've retired from the Army, but now I have a change of mission — and that's to serve the community I decided to live in and raise my kids in."

Of note: Both Vindmans have been forceful advocates for continued military assistance to help Kyiv fend off Russia's invasion.

• They have become openly political since leaving the military, working with VoteVets, a progressive PAC that works to get Democrats elected.

Catch up quick: Spanberger had represented Virginia's 7th congressional district since 2019. She was elected as part of the 2018 midterms' blue wave.

Go deeper: Dems flood Virginia with cash ahead of off-year elections