Democratic military veterans trying to stand out in some of the most competitive House races this year think they might have found their opportunity: the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Democrats running for office quickly came out against President Donald Trump’s recent decision to capture Maduro, with many making the argument that it will only worsen the country’s ongoing affordability crisis. And some veterans believe their backgrounds are more important than ever and give their messages more credibility, especially with Trump suggesting Colombia and Greenland could be his next targets.
While it’s unclear how the actions in Venezuela will play out in November — there are many questions surrounding what happens next in the country — some veterans with political aspirations say this gives them an opportunity to spotlight their qualifications from their time serving as primary elections are rapidly approaching.
“We’re the ones who actually risk our lives to answer the call, and we are the ones whose families suffer because we’re gone or die, or any number of things,” said Jason Knapp, a former Naval officer and F/A-18 pilot who is running in a crowded Democratic primary to take on Republican Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman in the state’s 1st District.
In recent cycles, veterans and other candidates with national security ties have been increasingly potent recruits for Democrats. Last year, former CIA officer Abigail Spanberger of Virginia and Navy veteran Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey had blowout wins in their races for governor, in part by running on those backgrounds. They were also part of the class of Democrats with national security backgrounds who were elected to the House in 2018, which included Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former CIA analyst, and Andy Kim of New Jersey, who as a State Department staffer worked in Afghanistan as a civilian adviser.
Veterans across the country who are running in competitive congressional seats this year, including a group of women veterans — who dubbed themselves The Hell Cats, after the first female Marines who served in World War I — are counting on that momentum.
Whether veterans can make their case will be put to the test very soon.
In New Jersey’s 11th District, a dozen Democrats — including two veterans — are vying to fill the seat vacated by Sherrill. Democrats are looking to the February primary as a bellwether before this year’s midterms shift into high gear, where they’ll see which messages are landing with the base.
Zach Beecher, a former Army paratrooper running for Sherrill’s seat, condemned the administration’s move over the weekend, pointing to his time serving in Iraq and arguing that Trump is “trying to send our troops headlong into the same type of mess in Venezuela.” Beecher told POLITICO that he felt it was important to speak out against the Venezuela military action because voters are “aghast” that “somehow we’ve found our way into another conflict.” He pointed to Sherrill’s 14-point win in November as a sign of voters’ want for a “pragmatic approach” to governance, and added that being a veteran “gives you a principled but pragmatic view of the world.”
“The American people are fundamentally tired of rhetoric,” he said. “They’re focused on results. The opportunity veterans can bring forward is: we know what the mission is, we know how to move forward.”
VoteVets, a Democratic group that supports veterans, has thrown its weight behind candidates across the country, from House and Senate races to local office. The group endorsed Beecher on Wednesday, with VoteVets’ senior adviser Paul Eaton saying in a statement that Venezuela “looks and smells exactly like Iraq 2.0” and arguing that “we need leaders in Congress who have actually worn the uniform and understand that ‘shock and awe’ isn’t a strategy.”
Justin Strickland, a member of the Chatham Borough Council and an Army veteran who also served in Iraq and is running in NJ-11, said that he feels he has “credibility in talking about the seriousness of war and what it means to go to war” but cautioned against comparing Venezuela to Iraq: “It matters in its own merit,” he said. “It matters because we have an administration taking an unconstitutional action. It matters because we are focusing on oil and resources of another country. That matters in itself.”
In addition to criticizing the Trump administration, he also called on Democrats to “take action” — like protesting outside of the White House.
In Colorado’s 8th District — where a large field of Democrats is competing in hopes of ousting first-year Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) — Marine combat veteran Evan Munsing said his service makes him a credible voice on Venezuela.
“I think people inherently understand that veterans having fought, having put skin in the game, think about these decisions in a different way than someone who’s only ever been on the sidelines,” he said.
Across the board, Munsing said there’s a desire for more moderate Democratic veterans to step up before the midterms, and he blasted the Trump administration’s actions.
“I’m gonna tell you right now, paying 10 cents less at the pump is not worth the life of your son or your daughter or your best friend,” Munsing said.
In New York’s battleground 17th District, held by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Democrat and combat veteran Cait Conley fought with Lawler on social media over Venezuela.
“I was hunting terrorists and you’re still hunting for Trump’s approval,” Conley, one of several Democrats in the crowded primary, said on X.
Former Rep. Max Rose, an Army veteran and senior adviser at VoteVets, said servicemembers have the unique ability to speak forcefully on national security issues.
“They don’t have to prove anything to anyone about their love for this country or their own personal strength,” he said. “They don’t have to hide from the fact that this is a very black and white issue. This is unlawful. This is unnecessary. This is a waste of resources. This is reckless. Done, end of story, end of conversation.”
Still, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth showed earlier this week that criticizing the Trump administration comes with risks: He publicly is trying to downgrade Sen. Mark Kelly’s (D-Ariz.) retirement rank and pay after he and other Democrats called on servicemembers to refuse unlawful orders in November.
“What they want is to make people afraid of speaking up,” Munsing said. “And yeah, I’m concerned about that … but we can’t let that fear keep us from standing up and from fighting to protect this country.”
Like Munsing, Knapp, the Democrat from Virginia, isn’t wavering in calling out the administration.
“You don’t need to finish the question. No. hell no,” Knapp said when asked if Hegseth’s actions against Kelly made him think about changing his tune.
A version of this article first appeared in POLITICO Pro’s Morning Score. Want to receive the newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.
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