How Military Veterans Win Elections for Democrats

This Strategy Is Already Working

On November 12, 2024, Marine Corps veteran Ruben Gallego became Arizona’s first Latino U.S. Senator. Gallego deployed to Iraq in 2005 as a combat infantryman. He didn’t just win a close race. He outperformed Kamala Harris by 8 percentage points in a state Donald Trump carried. That gap demonstrates what happens when Democrats run candidates with military credentials in competitive territory.

This wasn’t luck. It was a deliberate approach in action.

Learn more about Gallego’s campaign and other veteran Democrat election results from 2024 and the historic 2018 wave.

Why “Alpha Energy” Matters in Elections

Political analysts from Berkeley to Capitol Hill agree: Democrats need to project strength, confidence, and patriotic pride to win swing voters. Senator Elissa Slotkin, who served three tours in Iraq as a CIA analyst before winning Michigan’s Senate seat in 2024, calls it “alpha energy.” Berkeley political scientist M. Steven Fish calls it “high-dominance politics.” We call it the Warrior Democrat advantage.

The problem Democrats face is real. After 2024 losses, focus groups revealed voters see the party as “weak and woke,” more concerned with policy details than decisive leadership. But while politicians scramble to manufacture toughness, veteran Democrats don’t need to pretend. They earned their authority on the battlefield, not in a consultant’s office.

What Political Scientists Know About Leadership Perception

In his 2024 book Comeback, UC Berkeley political scientist M. Steven Fish analyzed decades of electoral data and found a pattern worth noting: Voters favor candidates who project strength and resolve. Candidates viewed as “more knowledgeable” win about half the time. Candidates seen as “caring more about people like me” win about half the time. But candidates regarded as the “stronger leader”? They rarely lose.

Fish argues that Democrats have ceded “high-dominance” political communication to Republicans. He points to FDR, JFK, and Martin Luther King as examples of Democrats who once excelled at projecting strength. His prescription? Democrats need leaders who:

• Lead with conviction, not caution
• Project confidence and willingness to take risks
• Reclaim patriotism and national symbols
• Use compelling narratives, not policy lists

Here’s what Fish and other analysts sometimes miss: Democrats already have these leaders. They’re called veterans.

Veterans Embody What Consultants Try to Manufacture

While California Governor Gavin Newsom experiments with aggressive podcast appearances and other Democrats try adopting combative social media styles, veteran Democrats naturally possess what political strategists are trying to create:

Veterans can’t easily be attacked as “weak on defense” or “unpatriotic.” They wrote blank checks to their country for up to and including the value of their lives. They don’t need consultants to teach them command presence or decisive leadership. They learned it leading troops in combat zones.

This is why the Warrior Democrat approach isn’t just about winning elections. It addresses Democrats’ fundamental challenge with swing voters who want strong leaders, not scripted politicians. Veteran Democrats offer an authentic answer to what political scientists and party strategists know the party needs.

How Gallego Built His Campaign Around Service

Gallego launched his Senate campaign in January 2023, nearly two years before election day. From day one, he centered his military service as his core credential:

• “Veterans for Gallego” coalition mobilized military voters across Arizona
• First Spanish-language ad focused on border security, meeting voters where they are
• Positioned as moderate despite progressive record, thanks to military background
• Outperformed Harris with Latino men by 9 points (64% vs 55%)

2018: When Veteran Democrats Helped Flip the House

Gallego isn’t an outlier. He’s following a playbook that delivered a Democratic majority in 2018.

That cycle, Democrats recruited 30-40 military veterans to run for House seats in competitive districts. Veterans like Mikie Sherrill, Chrissy Houlahan, and Jason Crow flipped Republican-held suburban seats, contributing to the 41-seat gain that gave Democrats the House majority. Their military backgrounds gave them traction with swing voters who might not otherwise support Democratic candidates.

Jason Crow (CO-6)

Army Ranger, Iraq & Afghanistan

Flipped Republican district

Now ranking member, House Intelligence

Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

Navy helicopter pilot, federal prosecutor

Flipped suburban New Jersey seat

Won by 14 points

Elissa Slotkin (MI-7)

CIA analyst, three Middle East tours

Won Trump +7 district

Now Senator-elect (2024)

What these wins had in common: National security backgrounds gave candidates instant authority on defense issues, insulated them from “radical left” attacks, and resonated with independent voters skeptical of both parties. Note: Slotkin served as a CIA analyst, not in the military, but her national security experience provided similar electoral advantages.

What’s Planned for 2026

Democrats are investing heavily in veteran candidates for the 2026 midterms. The stakes are clear: flip the House or face two years of unified Republican control.

Target districts include Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado, Nebraska, New York, Virginia, and Florida. The focus: anywhere Republicans won by less than 5 points and veteran populations exceed 7%. VoteVets is actively recruiting veteran Democrat candidates in each of these battleground areas.

Why This Approach Works

Military service carries political advantages that transcend partisan divides. Understanding why veterans win elections helps explain why the numbers look the way they do:

Authority on National Security

“You can’t attack someone’s patriotism when they literally put their life on the line for this country.” Veteran Democrats are largely immune to “un-American” or “weak on defense” attacks that typically damage Democratic candidates.

Cross-Party Appeal With Independents

Military officers rank among the top three most trusted professions in America. Veteran Democrat candidates win independents and moderate Republicans who won’t consider traditional Democrats.

“Country First” Positioning

“I wrote a blank check to my country for up to and including the value of my life.” This narrative cuts through partisan noise and resonates with swing voters tired of political posturing.

Leadership Under Pressure

Voters want leaders, not politicians. Veteran Democrat candidates have demonstrated they can make hard decisions under pressure. That record matters to swing voters in uncertain times.

Electoral Math in Swing States

Veteran Democrats perform well in exactly the places where Democrats need help most. The math is straightforward: swing states have high veteran populations, and those populations can decide close races.

The pattern: In states decided by less than 2 percentage points, veteran populations of 7-10% can influence the outcome. When veteran Democrats run, they tend to outperform non-veteran Democrats by 3-8 points with independents and moderate Republicans. This electoral advantage explains why the approach is central to winning back the House in 2026.

Messaging That Works

Winning veteran Democrat campaigns share common messaging DNA. They don’t run away from their service. They lead with it, but they do it with purpose:

Want to implement this messaging framework in your campaign? Explore our veteran campaign messaging tool to develop your candidate’s story.

Where This Leaves Democrats

Democrats don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
This approach exists. The data supports it.
What’s missing is a unified brand to amplify the movement.

VoteVets is recruiting the candidates. The DCCC is targeting the districts. Progressive and moderate veteran Democrats are answering the call.

While political strategists debate how Democrats can project strength and reclaim patriotic appeal, veteran Democrats are already doing it. The Warrior Democrat approach isn’t theoretical. It’s delivering results.

Learn more about the Warrior Democrat advantage and explore detailed election results that show how this works in practice.