Democrats Add Veteran Candidates to “Red to Blue” Program Amid Ongoing Iran Conflict

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced Thursday that five candidates have joined its “Red to Blue” program, bringing the total to 37. The new recruits are former Army brigadier general Leela Gray (Florida 13th), former Navy judge-advocate Zach Dembo (Kentucky 6th), former Navy admiral Nancy Lacore (South Carolina 1st), former congressman Tom Perriello (Virginia 5th), and Maine State Auditor Matt Dunlap (Maine 2nd). All are positioned in districts that voted for President Donald Trump by double-digit margins in 2024, and the DCCC frames them as “proven fighters” who can help the party regain a House majority.

House Democrats add 5 more candidates to ‘Red to Blue’ list

House Democrats are emphasizing the ongoing Iran war—now in its seventh month—as a political lever. Candidates with military backgrounds are using the conflict to critique the administration’s handling of the war and to argue for clearer objectives. Gray and Lacore have cited reports on the USS Abraham Lincoln’s prolonged combat operations to accuse Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of leading the United States into a war without a defined end state. The DCCC hopes that veterans’ credibility on national-security issues will resonate with voters in traditionally Republican districts.

House Democrats add 5 more candidates to ‘Red to Blue’ list

A right-leaning outlet also claimed Dunlap’s campaign is “dead on arrival,” accusing him of supporting tax hikes and aligning with extremist figures.

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• “All of these candidates are proven fighters who are running strong campaigns, talking to every voter, and building coalitions across the ideological spectrum to power their victories in November,” — DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene

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