These are the most visible veterans running for Congress

Veterans will be on the ballot in more than a third of national congressional races when voters head to the polls for the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

Nearly 200 veterans are running for Congress this year and 10 are running for governor. In all, more than a fifth of gubernatorial and congressional candidates are veterans, according to Pew Research.

Perhaps the most senior veteran candidate is retired Brigadier General Don Bolduc, who is running for a Senate seat in New Hampshire against Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan.

Bolduc had endorsed former President Donald Trump’s claims about a stolen 2020 election during the New Hampshire Republican primary, but after winning the party’s nomination, he said the 2020 race “wasn’t stolen.” He further muddied the waters during a debate when he brought up stories about school buses loaded with illegal voters, HuffPost reports.

Trump endorsed Bolduc this week, saying he had been a strong and proud “election naysayer” who “has since come back.”

Also better known for his platform speeches is Republican Air Force veteran JR Majewski, who is running in Ohio against Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur.

The candidate spoke of the “harsh” conditions during a deployment to Afghanistan that the Associated Press revealed he had never experienced. And he said he didn’t re-enlist because he was punished for a “fight,” but the AP found he was demoted for drunk driving at an air base.

He has said he never intentionally misrepresented his service. His race is listed in the Cook Political Report as leaning Democratic.

Trump has also endorsed veteran Republican in Ohio’s high-profile Senate race, JD Vance, who is running against Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan. Vance served four years in the US Marine Corps, including in the Iraq War as a correspondent.

The candidate rose to the top of his primaries following Trump’s endorsement in April.

And a former Air Force lieutenant colonel running for Congress in Indiana, Jennifer-Ruth Green, hopes to turn her district red for the first time since 1930, Military.com reports.

She is one of two female veterans of color running for the Republican Party this year, according to Military.com. His race is listed as a Democratic-leaning toss by the Cook Political Report.

Green recently made national headlines after the Air Force leaked his personnel file to an opposition research firm, revealing he was sexually assaulted while in the service.

Six former Navy SEALs are running for the US House of Representatives with the support of SEAL PAC, an organization that has also endorsed more than 30 other veterans in congressional races.

These candidates include:

Ryan Zinkea former SEAL Team 6 member endorsed by former President Donald Trump montana;
Eli Cranea former member of SEAL Team 3 who introduces himself Arizona;
Conrad Kresswho completed SEAL training and is reporting for it Hawaii;
Morgan Luttrellformer SEAL and twin brother of the famous SEAL Marcus, who is introduced Texas;
Derrick Van Ordenincoming former SEAL Wisconsin; i
Ed Thelanderformer member of SEAL Teams 3 and 4 who were introduced Maine.

Polls show Crane and Zinke clinging to narrow 1- and 2-point leads, while Thelander trails his opponent by 35 points, according to data compiled by FiveThirtyEight.

Van Orden was five points ahead of his challenger in the most recent FiveThirtyEight poll in that race, which was taken in August. Polls were not available for two, including Luttrell.

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