Veterans and the Midterm Election

Rebecca Burgess at AEI:

On Election Day 2018, 173 veterans remained on the ballots. At least 21 races became a veteran vs. veteran showdown, nearly guaranteeing that the total number of veterans in the 116th Congress would be fewer than the initial number of veterans serving in the 115th Congress. By the time November rolled around, the 115th Congress had dropped to fewer than 100 veterans (96), due to several veteran legislators taking up posts in the Trump administration, resigning, or passing away. However, even with several more veterans deciding not to pursue reelection, there should be at least 95 serving in the 116th Congress — 77 in the House, and 18 in the Senate (15 veteran Senators were not up for reelection this term). And while the numbers skew Republican as in the past, a little more than a third of veteran candidates ran as Democrats. Out of the 14 military women on ballots this November, the three who will be freshmen members in January are Democrats.