Democratic military veterans run for Congress in 2026 midterms

Democratic military veterans are running for Congress in multiple states ahead of the 2026 midterms. They present their service records as evidence that patriotism includes criticism of government policy. An Ipsos poll conducted earlier this year found 63 percent of Republicans and 14 percent of Democrats said the phrase "I feel proud to be an American" described them extremely well.

The same poll showed 65 percent of Republicans and 19 percent of Democrats said "there's no place I'd rather live than the U.S." described them extremely well.

Candidates and districts Nancy Lacore, a retired vice admiral and former Chief of Navy Reserve, is running in South Carolina after her removal from that post by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in 2025. She said patriotism is "grounded in service" and includes efforts to strengthen the country.

Leela Gray, a retired Army brigadier general, is seeking the Democratic nomination in Florida's 13th Congressional District. She said her 30 years of service showed that trust among service members mattered more than party affiliation. In Kansas, state Sen.

Patrick Schmidt, a former naval intelligence officer now serving in the Army Reserve, and Noah Taylor, a former Army infantryman, are among Democrats competing to challenge Sen. Roger Marshall. Taylor said questioning government actions is part of patriotism.

Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot and test pilot, won the Democratic nomination in New Jersey's 7th District in early June. She said she states her patriotism explicitly on the campaign trail. Matt Maasdam, a retired Navy SEAL and former military aide to former President Barack Obama, is running in Michigan's 7th District.