In this era of extreme polarization on both the left and right, it is important to recognize, honor and celebrate those who seek to chart a different course. One such person is Rye Barcott, a Marine, venture capitalist, philanthropist and civic leader.
The reason Barcott matters now is that he founded a group called With Honor, which has elected dozens of veterans to Congress across both parties, with an explicit commitment to promote bipartisan policies and cooperation. Since 2018, With Honor has supported the For Country Caucus, a bipartisan caucus markedly different from the multitude of partisan or identity-based caucuses in Congress today.
Interestingly, the caucus mandates that members “meet with at least one member of the opposing party every month.” One wonders how much more effective our representatives would be if other caucuses followed this model.
Indeed, the caucus — currently co-chaired by Reps. Jake Ellzey (R-Texas) and Don Davis (D-N.C.) — now includes nearly 40 veterans currently in Congress, while some former members have gone on to governor’s mansions such as New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D).
According to the caucus mission statement, the group was “created to help address the divisive political polarization tearing our country apart.”
Put simply, in an era of Super PAC’s that loudly advance narrow, special interests, With Honor and the For Country Caucus do the opposite, backing veterans committed to advancing the common good, regardless of party. It is hard to think of a force that is more sorely lacking and desperately needed in American politics today.
Slightly less than one-third (32 percent) of Americans say they have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of trust in Congress per Gallup polling, and evidence of deepening political divisions are everywhere, including a rise in political violence. At the same time, these organizations are based on a critical lesson that veterans know well, but too many Americans have forgotten: There is much more that unites us as a nation than divides us.
To be sure, there is a legitimate case to be made that having more veterans in elected office would ensure that lesson is preserved and strengthened, underscoring the importance of Barcott’s organization. Between 1965 and 1975, at least 70 percent of members in both chambers were veterans, according to Pew Research, but that has fallen to just 23 percent in the current Congress.
To that end, the other reason to recognize Barcott is that he is about to publish a book on political courage highlighting 10 Americans. In many ways, this is a remake of former President John F. Kennedy’s “Profiles in Courage,” written four years before his much-celebrated successful 1960 presidential campaign.
As many may remember, Kennedy himself was a celebrated war hero who saved many of the men on PT-109 after it was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. He was justifiably decorated for his heroism, as Barcott was for his service in Iraq, Bosnia and the Horn of Africa.
Barcott is the type of person you would want your children to grow up to be: modest, self-effacing, honorable and committed to the public good. By force of personality and devotion to the causes he holds dear, Barcott has built an organization which, in 2024, spent over $15 million supporting veteran candidates.
However, what is most important now is to recognize that his redoing of “Profiles in Courage” gives us insights into 10 extraordinary Americans who have served our country and been elected to the halls of power.
The reason why a comparison with Kennedy is appropriate is that Barcott himself has demonstrated an arguably similar level of service and love of country as that of the former president. But, at this point, rather than pursuing elected office himself — which he is well-suited to do one day — Barcott has sought to elevate veterans-turned-politicians who have gone above and beyond on the battlefield and in the halls of Washington.
I urge everyone to look into Barcott, who represents the best that America has to offer.
This op-ed was originally published by The Hill. Read it here.