With Honor Action Tracks Record 752 Veterans Running for Congress in 2026, Including Historic Surge in Women Veterans

Posted on by Brian Le

With Honor Action Tracks Record 752 Veterans Running for Congress in 2026, Including Historic Surge in Women Veterans

New data show veterans running in all 50 states, a 47% increase from 2024, and a 137% jump in women veterans seeking federal office.

Washington, D.C. — June 9, 2026 — With Honor Action today released new data showing a wave of military veterans stepping forward to serve in Congress: 752 veterans across all 50 states have run or are running for federal office this cycle, the highest number With Honor Action has tracked since it began monitoring veteran candidates in 2018.

The figure marks a 47% increase from 2024, when With Honor Action tracked 513 veterans running for federal office, and surpasses the previous high of 744 veteran candidates in 2022.

The most dramatic growth is among women veterans. With Honor Action is tracking 95 women veterans running or who have run for federal office in 2026, up from 40 in 2024 — a 137% increase and the highest number the organization has ever tracked.

The updated numbers build on public reporting earlier this year by The 19th News that women veterans were already running for Congress in record-breaking numbers. At the time, The 19th reported that 71 women veterans were running in 2026. With Honor Action’s latest tracking shows that the number has continued to rise as the midterm cycle accelerates.

“At a time when Americans are exhausted by division and hungry for leaders who know what it means to serve something larger than themselves, veterans are stepping forward in historic numbers,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor and author of Courage Can Save US: Ten Extraordinary Americans and the Fight for Our Future. “This is not a red wave or a blue wave — it is a service wave. These candidates come from different parties and different branches of the military, but they share lived experience in mission, sacrifice, accountability, and putting country first.”

Roughly 41% of veteran candidates tracked this cycle are post-9/11 veterans, signaling that a new generation shaped by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is continuing to enter public life.

The data are being released as Bloomsbury publishes Barcott’s new book, Courage Can Save US, which profiles ten public servants — five Democrats and five Republicans — who carried their ethos of service into public life. The book includes leaders such as New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, a Navy veteran and the first female military veteran elected governor in U.S. history.

By the numbers:

  • 752 veterans running or who have run for Congress in the 2026 election cycle
    • A 47% increase from the 513 veterans tracked in the 2024 election cycle
    • 363 Republicans, 294 Democrats, and 95 as independents or third-party candidates
    • 48.2% Republicans, 39.15% Democrats (the highest percentage of Democrats since With Honor Action’s tracking), and 12.65% as independents or third-party candidates
  • Roughly 41% are post-9/11 veterans
  • 95 women veterans running or who have run for Congress in 2026
    • A 137% increase from the 40 women veterans tracked in the 2024 election cycle
    • 53 Democrats, 28 Republicans, 14 as independent or third-party candidates
    • 56% Democrats, 29% Republicans, and 15% as independents or third-party candidates

With Honor Action has tracked veteran candidates through candidate databases, FEC filings, news reports, and other online sources, confirming both candidacy and veteran status. The 2026 data include candidates for the U.S. House and Senate, congressional special elections, and candidates who announced campaigns but later withdrew or suspended their campaigns. The numbers reflect With Honor Action’s tracking as of June 1, 2026, and may change as additional filing deadlines close.

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About With Honor

With Honor Action fights polarization in Congress by supporting principled veterans across party lines who pledge to serve with integrity, civility, and courage. With Honor Action works alongside the bipartisan For Country Caucus in Congress to pass critical legislation for our nation. With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm. With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund III. Learn more about our work at WithHonor.org.

General Richard B. Myers, 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joins With Honor Action Advisory Board Amid Surge in Military Veterans Running for Office Nationwide

Posted on by Abigail Trotter

General Richard B. Myers, 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joins With Honor Action Advisory Board Amid Surge in Military Veterans Running for Office Nationwide

 

Washington, D.C. — June 8, 2026 — With Honor Action today announced that retired Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, who served as the 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has joined its Advisory Board.

General Myers led the U.S. military through the earliest stages of the Global War on Terrorism. He was sworn in as Chairman on October 1, 2001, twenty days after the September 11 attacks, and held the post until his retirement in 2005. As Chairman, he was the nation’s highest-ranking military officer and the principal military adviser to the President.

A command pilot with more than 4,100 flying hours, including over 600 combat hours in Vietnam, General Myers served more than 40 years in the U.S. Air Force. Before becoming Chairman, he was Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and commanded U.S. Space Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Pacific Air Forces, and U.S. Forces Japan. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. After leaving uniform, he held the Colin L. Powell Chair for National Security, Leadership, Character and Ethics at the National Defense University and served as the 14th president of Kansas State University, his alma mater, from 2016 to 2022.

“General Myers led during one of the most consequential periods in our nation’s history, and he did it with the courage and integrity our work depends on,” said Rye Barcott, CEO and Co-Founder of With Honor Action. “His judgment will strengthen our mission to support principled veteran leadership and reduce polarization in Congress.”

Barcott first met General Myers in 2001 through his undergraduate thesis advisor at UNC-Chapel Hill, Military History Professor Richard Kohn, an expert in civil-military relations who previously served as the Chief of the Air Force’s historical program. Kohn knows that General Myers will add significant experience, important insights, and keen judgments that will contribute to With Honor Action’s continued success.

With Honor Action previously collaborated with General Myers and his wife, Mary Jo, to provide assistance to our Afghan allies and address bipartisan national security and humanitarian concerns.

“​​I’m delighted to join With Honor Action as an Advisory Board member,” said General Richard B. Myers, 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Their support of a bipartisan approach to problems is consistent with America’s founding 250 years ago. Our founding fathers didn’t always agree, but they were able to find compromise for the common good.”

“Congratulations to General Myers on joining the With Honor Action Advisory Board. I was a Lieutenant Colonel and a Colonel when he served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and I’ve long admired his service and remarkable leadership throughout his more than forty years in uniform. He was the leader we needed as Chairman in the days immediately following the attacks of September 11th. With Honor Action will be stronger for his judgment and his character,” said Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE), a Founding Co-Chair of the For Country Caucus and retired Air Force Brigadier General. “I’ve seen that organization’s impact firsthand. As a Founding Co-Chair of the For Country Caucus, I worked alongside With Honor Action to bring veterans from both parties together and put country before party. Together we’ve helped pass more than 200 bipartisan laws to strengthen our national security, support our veterans, and renew a culture of national service. That work proved something I’ve always believed — bipartisan solutions last.”

“General Richard Myers served our nation with great distinction, and I am delighted to hear that he is joining the Advisory Board of With Honor Action, an important organization that works alongside the bipartisan For Country Caucus of veterans in Congress,” said Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), a Founding Vice Chair of the For Country Caucus, Air Force veteran and the daughter and granddaughter of Naval aviators who flew P-3s.

General Myers joins With Honor Action amid a surge of military veterans running for Congress in all 50 states, an increase of nearly 47% over the 2024 election cycle, as well as a record number of women veteran candidates, as reported in POLITICO.

General Myers joins an Advisory Board that includes the 22nd U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen; former National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster; former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle; 44th Surgeon General of the Army Lt. Gen. Nadja West; Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Florent Groberg; and former U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Rob Portman.

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About With Honor

With Honor Action fights polarization in Congress by supporting principled veterans across party lines who pledge to serve with integrity, civility, and courage. With Honor Action works alongside the bipartisan For Country Caucus in Congress to pass critical legislation for our nation. With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm. With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund III. Learn more about our work at WithHonor.org.

The Last Three Vietnam Veterans in Congress Return to the Wall Together Ahead of Memorial Day

Posted on by Abigail Trotter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Last Three Vietnam Veterans in Congress Return to the Wall Together Ahead of Memorial Day

Nearly 30 bipartisan veteran lawmakers gathered for annual act of remembrance

WASHINGTON, D.C. —May 21, 2026— On the morning of Thursday, May 21, nearly 30 bipartisan veteran Members of Congress gathered at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial—not for a press conference, but for a quiet act of remembrance.

Together, they cleaned the wall.

Leading the gathering were the only three Vietnam veterans still serving in Congress. Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN), who lost his left arm in a 1971 convoy ambush, will return to the memorial alongside Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), who was wounded in combat with the Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade, and Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI), a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general who flew CH-46 helicopters in Vietnam. He has spent decades returning to the wall to honor those who did not come home.

For Baird, the wall reflects the war he survived. It includes the names of soldiers who fought in the same deadly convoy operations along QL19—including Specialist Four Larry Dahl, a Medal of Honor recipient killed in a 1971 ambush on that same road.

More than fifty years after their service, the three stood together again at the wall—not as young soldiers, but as some of the last living links between that war and the nation that sent them.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial—the most-visited site on the National Mall—bears the names of more than 58,000 Americans who were killed or remain missing in action.
For many of the Members participating, the names etched into the black granite are not abstract. They are friends. Brothers and sisters in arms. For the eighth consecutive year, the bipartisan For Country Caucus, alongside With Honor, has brought these veterans in Congress together to honor the more than 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in Vietnam—ensuring their memory is carried forward not only in stone, but in continued service to the nation.

“More than fifty years after Vietnam, the courage it took to serve, and the bonds it forged, still transcend today’s political divisions,” said Rye Barcott, Marine Corps veteran and Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor. “Courage is a decision to advance the common good despite personal risk. The veterans on this wall made that decision. In a divided time, this simple act of cleaning the wall is a reminder that America is still capable of making that decision too.”

“This wall is sacred ground,” said Representatives Jake Ellzey (R-TX) and Don Davis (D-NC), Co-Chairs of the For Country Caucus. “The names on it belong to Americans who answered the call without asking who stood with them politically. Coming together as veterans to honor them is how we keep faith with that same standard.”

Now an established tradition, the annual cleaning of the wall has become a quiet tradition for the For Country Caucus—one that reflects its core commitment: to put service and country above party.

In honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, Jen Condon, Executive Vice President of America250, the official nonprofit partner of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, joined this year’s event.

With Honor Action to Participate in Two Sessions at the 2026 AI+ Expo for National Competitiveness

Posted on by Abigail Trotter

For Immediate Release

Contact: Susan Forbes, forbes@withhonor.org

With Honor Action to Participate in Two Sessions at the 2026 AI+ Expo for National Competitiveness

Veteran Leaders to Spotlight Defense Industrial Base Reform, Veteran Leadership, and Tech Policy

Washington, D.C. – May 4, 2026 – With Honor Action will participate in two featured sessions, along with a fireside chat, at the AI+ Expo for National Competitiveness, organized by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), in Washington, D.C. The Expo convenes top leaders from government, industry, and academia to address how the United States can ensure that emerging technologies serve as engines of economic growth, global leadership, and national security.

Thursday, May 7 | 11:30 AM | South Stage
Fireside: Rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom

A conversation on restoring America’s defense industrial base to meet the demands of sustained great power competition. This session will examine how Congress is approaching procurement reform, production scaling, and supply chain resilience to ensure readiness at speed. It will also explore the role of public-private partnerships in rebuilding capacity across critical sectors.

Speakers:

  • Scott Cooper, SVP for Government Affairs, With Honor Action
  • Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), Founding Co-Chair, For Country Caucus
  • Moderator: Aaron Mehta, Editor-in-Chief, Breaking Defense

Key Themes:

  • The Proposed $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget
  • Defense Industrial Base Restoration
  • Procurement Reform and Production Scaling

Friday, May 8 | 9:30 AM | South Stage
Panel: How Technology is Unleashing Veteran Leadership Across America

A discussion on how technology is expanding the reach and impact of veteran leadership in communities, the workforce, and public service. This session will also examine how mission-driven networks are connecting veterans to opportunities in business, policy, and community leadership, with a focus on unlocking the full potential of veteran talent as a force multiplier for American renewal.

Speakers:

  • Rye Barcott, Co-Founder & CEO, With Honor
  • Mike Hutchings, CEO, Combined Arms
  • Moderator: LtGen Michael Groen (Ret.), Former Director, Joint Artificial Intelligence Center

Key Themes:

  • Technology as a Force Multiplier for Veteran Leadership
  • Mission-Driven Networks and Veteran Opportunity
  • Veteran Talent and American Renewal

Friday, May 8 | 11:00 AM | President’s Tech Brief | PTB Stage
With Honor Co-Founder & CEO Rye Barcott will join SCSP’s Ylli Bajraktari and Martijn Rasser for a live discussion on principled veteran leadership and how veteran leaders in Congress are driving tech policy.

Speakers:

  • Rye Barcott, Co-Founder & CEO, With Honor
  • Ylli Bajraktari, President & CEO, SCSP
  • Martijn Rasser, Vice President & Technology Leadership Directorate, SCSP

Key Themes:

  • Principled Veteran Leadership
  • Veteran-Led Tech Policy in Congress
  • Civic Trust and Democratic Accountability

More info and registration: https://expo.scsp.ai/

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About With Honor
With Honor Action fights polarization in Congress by supporting principled veterans across party lines who pledge to serve with integrity, civility, and courage. With Honor Action works alongside the bipartisan For Country Caucus in Congress to pass critical legislation for our nation. With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm. With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund III. Learn more about our work at WithHonor.org.

Godspeed, Governor: Remembering Dirk Kempthorne

Posted on by Abigail Trotter

Godspeed, Governor

On April 25, the U.S. Navy commissioned its newest Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, the USS Idaho, at Naval Submarine Base New London. It was a rare moment for a landlocked state.

The man who did more than anyone to make the USS Idaho a reality, Dirk Kempthorne, had passed away the day before. He had planned to attend. By a turn of fate, the boat he championed entered the fleet just hours after Idaho lost him. Earlier this year, the Navy named the submarine’s engine room in his honor.

Idahoans knew Dirk best, and they knew him longest — as mayor, senator, governor, and neighbor. But his reach extended far beyond the state he loved, and like so many Americans who knew him, I will remember him as a statesman and as a friend.

We first met in 2009. I was just out of the Marine Corps and graduate school. Dirk had already lived a remarkable life of service, one of only a handful of Americans to serve as mayor, U.S. senator, governor, and a presidential cabinet secretary. He often spoke of his deep respect for those who wore the uniform. One of his few regrets, he once told me, was not having served in the military himself.

Years after we met, Dirk joined the advisory board of With Honor, the cross-partisan organization I co-founded to support principled veteran leadership in Congress. That work brought us together for the rest of his life. He worked across party lines not as a strategy but as an instinct. He believed good governance required good character, and he lived that belief in ways that were often quiet and nearly invisible to the public.

When the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, Dirk insisted that America keep its promises to Afghan allies who had served alongside our troops. That conviction was rooted in his Christian faith. It drove him to raise more than $1 million in private funds, work diplomatic channels across multiple governments, and help charter a private Airbus A340 that evacuated 395 Americans and Afghan allies to Abu Dhabi.

Dirk later recalled the moment that allowed the flight to carry 50 more people than planned:

“I said, dear God, we cannot leave these people behind, please give a path forward. At that instant, I had a mental vision. I saw Mother Mary holding her infant, Jesus, in her arms. I immediately called Nawid and said, ‘Nawid, infants do not need seats; they can be held in their parents’ arms.’ The airline confirmed that, and our Airbus A340 could evacuate 50 more people.”

He worked the phones with our team, reaching the Biden administration and members of Congress in both parties because he believed America’s word should mean something.

His convictions shaped what would become his final act of public service. For years, he served as chairman of the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee Advisory Board, building a bridge between his home state and the sailors who serve aboard her. He told the story of Idaho to the Navy and the Navy’s mission to Idahoans, and he showed up, year after year.

For him, the submarine was both a source of pride for Idaho and a window into a critical national vulnerability. The Navy needs two Virginia-class submarines a year. In 2024, we delivered 1.13. In commercial shipbuilding, the gap is even wider. China built more than 1,000 vessels in 2024; the United States built eight. That gap has serious implications for our economy and our ability to deter conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

Dirk understood that rebuilding American shipbuilding is one of the rare areas where bipartisan consensus still exists, and he worked to keep it that way. His final text message to me was about a planned visit to the USS Idaho with veterans from both parties now serving in Congress, in support of the SHIPS for America Act led by Sens. Todd Young and Mark Kelly. He signed off, as he often did, with a single word: “Godspeed.” I hope we can still make that trip happen in his honor.

In a polarized time, it is easy to forget that politics can be a calling rather than a contest. Dirk Kempthorne never did. He didn’t just call for bipartisanship; he practiced it.

Idaho gave America a leader. He returned that gift many times over, to his neighbors, to his country, and to a generation of Americans who learned from him what service looks like when done with integrity, civility, and courage.

The country was better for him.

Godspeed, my friend.

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Rye Barcott is co-founder and CEO of With Honor and author of the forthcoming Courage Can Save US (Bloomsbury). Gov. Kempthorne served on the With Honor Advisory Board. With Honor will host a celebration of life in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 2026.

This op-ed was originally published in the Idaho State Journal.

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