When the election season started, there was a lot of noise about so-called “Fighting Dems” — dozens of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, almost all running for Congress on the Democratic ticket, and almost all fed up with how those wars were being run. “The party leadership is calculating that candidates who wore the uniform [could] offer a credible counterpoint on national security to Republicans who have dominated the debate from the campaign trail to Capitol Hill,” the Washington Post reported back in February. And with forceful, articulate candidates like double-amputee Tammy Duckworth attracting national attention, it seemed like the calculus was paying off.
But something strange happened last night, amid the Democratic sweep. Almost all of the Fighting Dems lost. Duckworth, running a Republican-leaning district, was defeated by a couple of percentage points. In Maryland, “Democrat Andrew Duck, a former Army intelligence officer in Iraq, lost to Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett,” USA Today notes. “Former naval officer Eric Massa lost to Rep. Randy Kuhl, R-N.Y.“
There were exceptions, of course: Admiral Joe Sestak beat shady Curt Weldon in Pennsylvania. Nearby, ex-JAG Patrick Murphy is basically tied up with his opponent. But for the most part, these veteran candidates came up short.
How come? Well, the majority of ‘em were political neophytes. And knocking off an incumbent Congressman is a tough job, even for an experienced pol. Several of the Fighting Dems never made it out of the primaries, the L.A. Times observes. “Andrew Horne, a Marine Corps reservist in Kentucky’s 3rd District, and David Ashe, a Marine lawyer, in Virginia’s 2nd. One vet, former Marine Tim Dunn, quit the race for North Carolina’s 8th District, citing financial pressures.“
More significant, perhaps, was that many of the veterans were running in districts ordinarily toxic to Democrats.
“They made each race much closer than it ever should have been,” Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, tells Defense Tech. “Tammy [Duckworth] should have been blown away. [Republican Peter] Roskam had so much more money and a district that always favors an R [Republican]. Her story, and her veteran status, are the only thing that kept her close.“
UPDATE 12:06 PM: Several recent veterans did win their Congressional races last night, including former Naval Intelligence officer Chris Carney and Army National Guard artilleryman Tim Walz. But they didn’t serve directly in Afghanistan or Iraq.
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Iraq Vet Candidates Fall ShortLeave a ReplyBy commenting on this topic you agree to the terms and conditions of our User Agreement |
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Not so fast there, guys.
Massa has not conceded the race to Kuhl; the number of uncounted provisional and absentee ballots is significant, and Massa wants all of the votes to be counted. Remember, just because the talking heads have gotten bored with a race and “called” it doesn’t mean that it’s legally over.
“How come? “
Maybe that whole “anti-Iraq” sentiment is not so much so.
Maybe instead more result of what happens when a party allows a few thieves and flakes to infiltrate the party and totally forgets what the people sent them to do. Their is consequences for actions or even non-actions.
The million dollar question I am waiting for to be answered is now the Dems have both houses who are they going to f*ck? By that I mean is it going to be the LLL radicals who have become their foundation by not forcing an immediate withdrawal cutting off funding ect.. like Huffington was screeching on CNN last night? OR will it be the majority of America and their hopes of 08′ by doing what the LLL radicals thing they bought?
My money says their base gets it raw dog. Maybe a few Investigations/hearings for appeasement but NO Impeachment and NO cutting of funds or “change in strategy”. And those Conservative Dems who did win will not be too eager to sell their future reelection for some Berkley boy
It’s up to us! We cannot rest just because the Dems took over the House and Senate. I am going to continue to write letters and make phone calls. I want Bush and Cheney removed from office and tried for war crimes. This election is the beginning; not the end. We need to keep after the folks in office regardless of their party affiliation. I also feel emboldened. I feel that it is much less likely to face retribution for being an activist.
For starters, there is a Do-It-Yourself impeachment kit that can be found here: http://web.mac.com/kagreen/iWeb/kengreen.com/kengreenblog/8FB5C387-F7D2-4F41-B674-3F019C307C62.html
Tell everyone you can to fill these Memorials out and send them in. Make sure John Conyers has a huge stack of these to back him up. Do not let up on these people! THEY MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE; EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!
Ken Green
http://www.kengreen.com
Why is it okay for straight soldiers to love and marry the love of there life and still serve there country comfortably…and gays can’t share the same life…why do gays have to be singled out we fight just as good and strong if not better than most straight soldiers now you tell me why GAY marriage in the military is so harmful to the military community?? bullshit