Kristina Wong writes: A record number of female veterans are running for Congress this year, as both parties make a play for the women’s vote.
Only five female military veterans have ever served in Congress, including Reps. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard, and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), an Army National Guard captain.Both are expected to win reelection, and 11 other female military veterans are vying to join them. They include five Republicans, four Democrats, and one each from the Libertarian and Independent Green Party.
Veterans help the Republicans push back against what Democrats say is a GOP “war against women.” In 2012, ten female veterans received a major party nomination — eight Democrats and two Republicans. Two Democrats — Duckworth and Gabbard — won. This year, Republicans alone have a chance of matching that number.
Their top two contenders are Joni Ernst, a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard running to succeed retiring Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa); and Martha McSally, a retired Air Force colonel and the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat and command a fighter squadron. She is running against Rep. Ron Barber (D) in Arizona.
Republicans say while they put a big focus on recruiting women candidates, they did not purposely recruit female veterans. They do make good candidates. They approach campaigning in a very disciplined way, they take the process very seriously, and are some of the hardest workers as far as campaigners.
If elected, Ernst and McSally would enter Congress as it assumes oversight over the administration’s war strategy against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Ernst, who ran convoys in the Iraq War in 2003 and currently commands the largest battalion in the Iowa Army National Guard, supports tougher actions against ISIS, including increased airstrikes and, if necessary, the use of U.S. special operations forces on the ground.
McSally, who flew A-10 fighter jets in the Afghan War, also supports putting a “limited” numbers of advisers on the ground to increase the effectiveness of airstrikes.
Next year, each military service will have to present plans on how to integrate women into every military job available — including special operations, or else explain why they cannot serve in a particular capacity.
Ernst has spoken out about being sexually harassed in the military. Veterans are apparently less afraid to buck their parties on votes. For example, he said, Duckworth and Gabbard both recently cast votes in September against the president’s proposal to arm and train Syrian rebels.
A roster of the 11 female veteran candidates include several women who have broken glass ceilings in the military. For example, Libertarian Donna Dunn, a former Marine, who is running for a House Indiana seat, was the first woman to serve as the Sergeant of the Guard at Camp Pendleton.
And Republican Wendy Rogers, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel running for an Arizona House seat, was one of the Air Force’s first 100 female pilots.