Former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor and Ambassador to the United Nations Nancy Soderberg. Victor Boyko/Getty Images for Aurora Humanitarian Initiative
Soderberg was the key figure in securing a US visa for Gerry Adams during the Northern Ireland peace process. She now faces Republican candidate Michael Waltz.
Nancy Soderberg, a key figure in the Irish peace process where she was President Clinton’s main advisor on the issue, now has a political career beckoning.
Soderberg won the Democratic nomination for Florida’s sixth congressional district and will now face former Green Beret and Fox News contributor, Michael Waltz.
Soderberg won her primary by a whopping 30 plus points after easily outraising her opponents. Waltz also won easily, setting up a clash of foreign policy experts in November.
Read more: A secret White House hero who made Irish peace possible
Thank you @SevignyMD and @VoteUpchurch for a spirited campaign! 14 months ago, this started as an idea that we deserved better. To all our supporters and volunteers that have helped make that idea become a movement, I can't express how thankful I am. Let's bring it home in Nov!
— Nancy Soderberg (@nancysoderberg) August 29, 2018
Soderberg counts hundreds of Irish contributors among her donors and her fundraiser hosted by the Irish community in May was attended by among others, Liam Neeson.
The seat has long been a Republican one but the Democratic blue wave, if it happens, could sweep Soderberg to victory. Soderberg holds the rank of ambassador having served as one of the US Ambassadors to the UN during the Clinton era.
🚨 NEW CALL: Nancy Soderberg has won the Democratic primary for the House seat in Florida’s 6th District. https://t.co/qxDWgoGSoj pic.twitter.com/EGcWD8uZsS
— POLITICO elections bot (@politicoelex) August 29, 2018
During the peace process in Northern Ireland, it was Soderberg who played the biggest role within the White House in convincing the president to grant a visa to Gerry Adams to come to America.
She did all the major negotiations with Sinn Féin and was widely trusted by them for her straight dealings.
She moved to Florida where she became an academic but moved into the Sixth District which includes parts of Orlando, Daytona and Jacksonville in order to establish residency; as did her GOP rival, coincidentally. The seat is an open one as the former occupant Ron De Santis won the GOP nomination for Florida governor.
What do you reckon of Soderberg’s chances? Let us know in the comments section, below.