Seven Iraq Vets Have Either Run, or Will Run For Congress

David Ashe
Paul Hackett
Steve Brozak
Andrew Duck
Tim Dunn
Patrick Murphy
Bryan Lentz

What do they all have in common? Besides being veterans of the current Iraq war, they are all running, or have run, for congress as democrats. I goolged, but could not find one Iraq vet running as a republican.

Why do these Iraqi vets feel that they can best be represented as Democrats?

What the heck, I'll throw a democrat Afghanistan vet in the mix too.

Tim Walz


[edit on 7-12-2005 by curme]

You did not Google enough.
Iraqi vet running as a Republican
Found this: Iraq War vet: Texas Republican Van Taylor

Furthermore, what do they have in common, curme? They against the war? Enlighten us, curme, cause this site, linked below, may be of interest in reading. Scroll down about three-quarters of the way and read what David Ashe says:


What Bryan Lentz says:


What Tim Dunn says:

Hackett Effect: Six Veterans Running as Democrats


And for your question:

According to another site, linked below, the reasoning that there are Iraqi vets running as Democrats is:

Hackett Effect: Six Veterans Running as Democrats


The Huffington Post

And the same site, linked above, says this about this about the Republican Party and Iraqi vets:


Perhaps it is a matter of priorities for the two political parties...





seekerof

[edit on 7-12-2005 by Seekerof]

I stand corrected, and apologize. I must hone my googling skills. I was trying to be fair and balanced. I figured there had to be a least one running.


What they have in common is that they are democrats, I wasn't trying to put a 'cut-and-run' spin on it.



An interesting take.



An expected take coming from a spokesman for the National Republican Campaign Committee, and one that Seekerof seems to agree with.

I'm not so sure. I have a suspicion that they are running for the same reason anyone runs, or hoped that they would run, to make the country a better place. Why do they feel more comfortable as democrats? I think they feel betrayed by the republican party. After leaving a war zone, most people just want to get on with there lives and forget the horror. These people wanted to make a difference. Maybe so that soldiers in the future won't be betrayed again.

This is a well known tactic by Democrats. Get someone with military experience to run for office. They know the American people have a perception that Democrats are weak on defense. So to fight that image they have to get military vets to run.

Look at the 2004 Presidential race. Howard Dean was running away with the race, but he was too anti-war and was replaced by John Kerry. John Kerry was a whacko and had no chance of winning, so late in the race Wesley Clark (another military vet) was put in, but at that time it was too late because Kerry had momentum.

It is good strategy, but when something is fake the people see it.

John Kerry was fake.
Wesley Clark was fake.
Paul Hackett was fake.
Democrats are fake.

Also the Republicans came out with a great ad. of Democrats making anti-US speeches while white flags are waving in front of them. Genius!

Guess who comes out for the Democrats? That's right, Daniel Inouye, a WW 2 vet. Where is Pelosi, Dean, Reed?

Makes you wonder why John McCain wasnt with the Democrats in the first place after serving in Vietnam. Do people assume that veterans who go to war expect to come home and join the Democratic party?

Actually, I tend to see a trend with voters.

Those who more often than not support going to war, tend to be those who didn't serve in a "hot zone" or see "direct combat" and those who have tend to not desire to go to war once more.

When you factor in how the Government tries to split people down everyline and have it so one party supports war/calls for war and the other doesn't, it isn't at all shocking to see War Vets go to the party which no longer desires war. It also helps the democracts to look strong by displaying they have service men [and women] in their party.

What Tim Dunn says:
quote:
"So we went and listened to Tim Dunn last night at the Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County. Can't say that I was overly impressed. Tim will be challanging Robin Hayes for the Eighth District congress seat. He is an Iraq vet and is a long standing member of the Democratic party in Cumberland County. He is pro-life and against an ammendment for gay marriage. Like I said wasn't overly impressed but he might be our best shot at taking down Hayes. Anyone else have any thoughts on him? "



If I'm not mistaken this is in my part of the state in NC. I'm not too far from Cumberland County. If the vets of this war wish to come home and put their mind on doing something else then I wish them all the luck in the world. The fact that they are vets should at least get them a few more votes then the most normal person running for that kind of seat.