In March 2025, Senator Elissa Slotkin told PBS NewsHour that Democrats need “alpha energy.” In July 2024, Berkeley political scientist M. Steven Fish published a book arguing Democrats must embrace “high-dominance politics.” Throughout 2025, political analysts have documented Democrats’ search for candidates who can project strength and credibility.

But while pundits debate and politicians give speeches, one organization has been quietly building the solution: VoteVets, the nation’s largest progressive veterans organization. Their 2026 recruitment strategy isn’t responding to the “alpha energy” conversation — it’s been proving the concept works for nearly two decades.

VoteVets was founded in 2006 by Iraq War veterans who believed military service gave candidates unique credibility on national security and domestic policy. In 2018, their recruitment efforts helped flip 41 House seats and deliver a Democratic majority. In 2024, they endorsed 143 winning candidates. Now they’re going all-in for 2026 with their most ambitious recruitment plan yet.

VoteVets isn’t guessing about whether veteran candidates have electoral advantages. They have nearly 20 years of data proving it. The organization’s track record demonstrates what political scientists are now calling “high-dominance politics” and what Senator Slotkin calls “alpha energy” — veteran Democrats consistently outperform non-veteran Democrats in competitive races.

The 2018 Blue Wave provides the clearest validation. VoteVets recruited and supported over 50 veteran candidates for House races, focusing on districts where traditional Democrats struggled. The results: Democrats gained 41 seats and flipped the House. Veteran candidates were disproportionately successful in the toughest districts — places like Michigan’s 8th (Elissa Slotkin), New Jersey’s 11th (Mikie Sherrill), and Colorado’s 6th (Jason Crow).

These weren’t close calls. Slotkin won a Trump +7 district by 4 points. Sherrill won by 14 points in suburban New Jersey. Crow flipped a Republican district and has held it through three subsequent elections. The pattern was undeniable: military service gave Democratic candidates the credibility to win in purple territory.

VoteVets isn’t recruiting randomly. They’re using data-driven targeting to identify districts where veteran candidates have the highest probability of success. The criteria are specific: Republican-held seats won by less than 5 points in 2024, veteran populations above 7% of adults, and competitive media markets where veteran credibility can overcome Republican messaging advantages.

Pennsylvania leads the priority list with multiple competitive districts. PA-1 (Brian Fitzpatrick’s district) has an 8% veteran population and Biden won it by 3 points in 2020 before Trump carried it narrowly in 2024. PA-10 (Scott Perry’s district) saw Perry win by just 0.3 points — razor-thin margins where a veteran Democrat could flip the seat.

Michigan’s 3rd District (representing Grand Rapids and surrounding areas) is another top target. The district has a 7.5% veteran population and Republicans won it by 4.8 points in 2024. A veteran candidate with Slotkin’s profile — middle-class background, military service, focus on manufacturing and jobs — could replicate her success.

Arizona’s 1st and 6th Districts both feature veteran populations above 9% and Republican margins under 4 points. Following Ruben Gallego’s Senate victory playbook, veteran Democrats in these districts could leverage military credibility on border security while building coalitions with Latino voters and independents.

VoteVets’ recruitment process doesn’t start with politicians who happen to be veterans. It starts with veterans who have the profile, values, and potential to become effective candidates. The organization has spent nearly two decades refining this process, and their 2026 efforts represent the most sophisticated veteran candidate development program in American politics.

Phase 1: Identification (Now – January 2026)
VoteVets uses its database of 10 million verified veteran voters to identify potential candidates. They’re looking for veterans with combat experience or high-level national security backgrounds, strong ties to target districts, and progressive-to-moderate political positions. The ideal profile: Iraq or Afghanistan combat veterans, ages 35-55, with families and deep community roots.

Phase 2: Development (January – June 2026)
Once candidates are identified, VoteVets provides training on campaign mechanics, fundraising, messaging, and media relations. They help veterans translate military experience into political narratives that resonate with civilian voters. They connect candidates with consultants, donors, and party infrastructure. This isn’t just encouragement — it’s comprehensive campaign boot camp.

Phase 3: Primary Support (June – August 2026)
VoteVets endorses candidates early in primary races, giving them credibility with Democratic primary voters who might be skeptical of first-time candidates. The organization mobilizes its donor base to provide early funding, which is critical for establishing viability. They also deploy surrogates — other successful veteran elected officials — to campaign for endorsed candidates.

Phase 4: General Election Amplification (September – November 2026)
In the general election, VoteVets runs independent expenditure campaigns highlighting veteran candidates’ service records. They produce ads featuring the candidates’ military backgrounds, mobilize veteran voters in target districts, and provide ongoing strategic support. This phase is where the $1 million investment pays dividends — amplifying veteran candidates’ natural advantages.

The 2026 midterms will either validate or refute the thesis that veteran Democrats can consistently win competitive races. If VoteVets successfully recruits 100+ candidates and a significant number win in purple districts, it will prove that the “alpha energy” Democrats need comes from military service, not better consultants or angrier rhetoric.

The political conditions are right. Democrats are motivated, Republicans hold narrow margins, and voters are anxious about economic and national security issues where veterans have natural credibility. But conditions alone don’t win elections — candidates do. The question is whether enough qualified veterans answer VoteVets’ recruitment call.

Consider the math: If VoteVets recruits 100 veteran candidates and just 20% win their races, that’s 20 new veteran Democrats in Congress. Given that Democrats only need to flip 5-10 seats to recapture the House, veteran candidates could provide the entire margin of victory. This isn’t hyperbole — it’s the same formula that worked in 2018.

One reason VoteVets is confident in the 2026 strategy is that veteran candidates have built-in messaging advantages in the current political environment. When political scientist M. Steven Fish argues that Democrats must embrace “high-dominance politics” and reclaim patriotism, he’s describing exactly what veteran candidates naturally embody.

Republicans can’t question a veteran’s patriotism when that veteran served in combat. They can’t attack a veteran as “weak on defense” when that veteran briefed generals or led troops. They can’t paint a veteran as out of touch with “real Americans” when that veteran came from a working-class family and served alongside Americans from every background.

This defensive immunity lets veteran candidates go on offense on issues where Democrats typically struggle. A veteran can talk about border security without being labeled soft. A veteran can discuss gun policy while demonstrating firearms proficiency. A veteran can advocate for healthcare reform by tying it to caring for those who served. This rhetorical flexibility is what VoteVets calls the “veteran advantage” — the ability to hold progressive positions while maintaining moderate credibility.

VoteVets’ 2026 strategy incorporates lessons from the 2024 cycle, where the organization achieved a 143-0 winning record for endorsed candidates but also saw opportunities for improvement. The biggest lesson: start recruitment earlier and invest more heavily in candidate development before primaries.

In 2024, Elissa Slotkin announced her Senate campaign in February 2023, giving herself nearly two years to build name recognition, fundraise, and prepare for both primary and general elections. That early start proved decisive — by the time primary season arrived, Slotkin was the prohibitive favorite.

Compare that timeline to House candidates who announced in late 2023 or early 2024. Many faced credible primary challengers with establishment backing and struggled to raise early money. The lesson for 2026: VoteVets needs to identify and support candidates by early 2025 (now), giving them 18-20 months to build campaigns rather than 12 months.

Another 2024 lesson: veteran candidates need to lead with their service from day one. Campaigns that buried military backgrounds or treated them as just one credential among many underperformed expectations. Campaigns that centered military service — in launch videos, stump speeches, and paid media — consistently exceeded benchmarks.

VoteVets can recruit 100 veteran candidates with perfect profiles. They can provide world-class training and generous early funding. They can mobilize veteran voters and run effective independent expenditure campaigns. But none of that matters if Democratic primary voters don’t choose veteran candidates over traditional politicians.

This is where the “alpha energy” conversation becomes operationally important. When Senator Slotkin says Democrats need “alpha energy,” she’s essentially telling primary voters: choose candidates like me. When political scientists argue for “high-dominance politics,” they’re saying: elect people who project strength. When media outlets document Democrats’ search for toughness, they’re highlighting the problem veteran candidates solve.

The 2026 primaries will reveal whether Democratic voters got the message. Will they choose veterans with combat experience and moderate positions, or will they choose progressive activists with strong social media followings? Will they prioritize general election viability, or will they prioritize ideological purity? Will they listen to Slotkin’s advice, or will they ignore it?

VoteVets’ entire strategy depends on Democratic primary voters recognizing that military service is an electoral asset, not just a nice credential. If primary voters understand that veteran candidates outperform non-veteran candidates by 4-5 points in swing districts, they’ll make pragmatic choices. If they don’t, Democrats will nominate candidates who can’t win general elections and the 2026 strategy will fail.

While politicians debate what Democrats need and scholars write books about political strategy, VoteVets is placing a $1 million bet that the answer is already clear: recruit military veterans who naturally embody the “alpha energy” swing voters demand.

The organization isn’t guessing. They have 18 years of data proving veteran candidates outperform non-veteran candidates in competitive races. They have the 2018 Blue Wave as proof of concept. They have Elissa Slotkin’s 2024 Senate victory as the most recent validation. And they have a database of 10 million veteran voters ready to mobilize in target districts.

What VoteVets doesn’t control is whether Democratic leadership, donors, and primary voters will prioritize veteran candidates over traditional politicians. If the party establishment learned from 2024 and recognizes that military service is a decisive electoral advantage, 2026 could replicate 2018’s success. If party insiders continue backing conventional candidates who lack veterans’ credibility, Democrats will waste the opportunity.

The recruitment is happening now. The candidates are being identified. The infrastructure is being built. The only question is whether Democrats will deploy the alpha energy they already have, or whether they’ll keep searching for something they already possess.

VoteVets is betting they’ll figure it out. The 2026 midterms will reveal if that bet pays off.