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Democrats Bank on Veteran Candidates to Flip Republican Seats Amid Iran War Discontent
By Drooid · · How we work
Veteran-Driven Challenge to Republican Seats
Democratic campaigns are fielding multiple military veterans in traditionally Republican districts, betting that anger over the ongoing Iran war and frustration with President Trump will sway veteran-heavy electorates. In Colorado’s 5th Congressional District—a stronghold that includes NORAD, Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy—retired Col. Lou Christensen is backing veteran Jessica Killin against first-term Rep. Jeff Crank. Similar veteran-led bids are emerging in Virginia’s 2nd, South Carolina’s 1st, and Florida’s 13th and 7th districts.
Background: Iran War and Veteran Sentiment
The conflict with Iran, launched by the Trump administration, has become a focal point for veterans who feel the war is an “expanding economic crisis” and a geopolitical blunder. Polling cited in the coverage shows that nearly six-in-ten voters in Colorado’s 5th supported Trump in the 2022 election, and about one-in-nine residents are veterans, making the district one of the nation’s most veteran-dense. Across the country, veterans expressed concerns that the war threatens national security and that senior defense officials, such as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, are “incompetent” and pushing a partisan agenda.
Key Candidates and Incumbents
- Jessica Killin – Retired Army captain, former Balkan war service, now a candidate in Colorado’s 5th.
- Jeff Crank – Republican incumbent, no military service, former aide to a longtime congressman and former state chair for Nikki Haley’s 2024 presidential bid.
- Elaine Luria – Retired Naval commander, former representative for Virginia’s 2nd, seeking a rematch against Rep. Jen Kiggans.
- Mike Gould – Retired lieutenant general, former Air Force Academy leader, publicly supporting Crank’s stance on the Iran war.
Official Statements & Responses
Christensen argued that Congress must act as a check on presidential actions. Killin told voters that the presence of many veterans in the district makes foreign-policy positions self-evident. Crank emphasized his willingness to challenge the president when he disagrees, citing the relocation of U.S.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The legislative branch needs to put up guardrails from President Trump,” — Col. Lou Christensen
- “I know there's a bunch of veterans in the room, so I don't have to tell you where we are with foreign policy,” — Jessica Killin, a fellow veteran, over first-term Republican Rep
- “I'm going to try to check the president where I think he's wrong,” — Republican Rep. Jeff Crank
- “What our president did, taking on Iran the way he did, was exactly the right thing to do,” — Mike Gould
