I’m a big believer in members of Congress coming from diverse career backgrounds. Political legislation essentially influences every sector and issue in this country. Lawyers, businesspeople, people with a background in finance, police, teachers, medical professionals, first responders, etc. It’s important to have representation and real-life practitioner experience from an array of different fields in Congress. This way when legislation is introduced or brought forward, those who have a specific background in a field can have more meaningful and experienced dialogue.
There are times when certain professional backgrounds may be more needed than others in congress. Take for example the Covid-19 Pandemic, in 2020 this was the major issue. Having a medical doctor like Senator Rand Paul was extremely valuable. He was able to challenge Dr. Fauci during Senate hearings when it came to issues surrounding the coronavirus. Unlike his peers, who Fauci and his supporters could falsely label “anti-science”, Senator Paul had the background to bring legitimacy to debate legislation and regulations surrounding the pandemic. There were 16 medical professionals in Congress at this point and during the 2020 election two more were sent to Congress. It was beneficial for the whole country that voters sent Ronny Jackson (R-TX) and Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) to Congress to join the 16 incumbent sitting members of Congress. More medical professionals meant more professional voices to tackle the major issue of that time.
With Russia invading Ukraine and challenging their national sovereignty, the world is on edge. China is closely watching as they have their eye on Taiwan. A U.N. Watchdog recently revealed that Iran Is closer than ever to having a nuclear bomb. China, Russia, and Iran’s relations appear to be growing stronger and stronger. Recently, the three nations even ran a naval drill together. This is a disaster for America, the west, and all freedom loving people across the globe. We’re arguably the closest we’ve ever been to WWIII. The way that Covid was the biggest issue of 2020, Russia’s military aggression and what it could possibly lead to is the biggest issue of 2022. This year, the most needed people in Congress are military veterans.
Many veterans have been apart of conflicts and war. Even those that haven’t, have trained for conflicts and have likely been apart of global military operation. Chances are that a veteran has engaged with foreign nations and were in or supported overseas operations. They will have the military knowledge and understanding when it comes to voting on issues related to the military and issues surrounding nations engaging in troubling behavior. Their service background will give them legitimacy when proposing policies or debating bills in relation to these issues.
Obviously, there’s more than just professional backgrounds at play. First and foremost, you should look at a candidate’s policies, their prospective legislative agenda and how they will conduct themselves in office. One wouldn’t want to support a politician that disagreed with their entire ideology just because they have a needed profession. It should be seen as more of a bonus. If you’re weighing the pros and cons of a candidate, their professional background should still be high up. If you’re stuck between two candidates and one of them is a veteran, it might make sense to have that be the deciding factor this election cycle.
Take for example the upcoming special election to replace former Congressman turned Truth Media CEO Devin Nunez. There’s a great field of solid conservatives vying for the majority Republican 22th congressional district of California. Only two of them served in the military. Matt Stoll, the veteran with the best chance is a decorated Naval Aviator with 20 years of military experience. He flew combat missions in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He even commanded a Joint Special Operations in support of the global war on terror. The retired naval officer has served across the globe and his insights and experiences would greatly benefit the conversations on how to move forward with the many recent actions taken by rival nations.
Politics isn’t just about professional backgrounds. Emotional and lived experiences are a major part of influence on the public policy process. Veterans have sacrificed a great deal for this country. Some more than others. Many veterans have lost limbs, some came back without the same mental health, others lost close friends. Even the lucky ones who didn’t lose anything were almost certainly exposed to those who have. If a war is truly just and worth sacrificing the lives of young men and women, there is no one more equipped to make those calculations than veterans. Sending more to Congress can hopefully increase our likelihood of making the most well rounded and best decisions when it comes to foreign affairs and military conflicts.
Joe Kent, who is running for Washington’s 3rd congressional district has had many emotional experiences in his military career. Kent is an Army Special forces veteran that’s challenging incumbent Jaimie Herrera Buetler, a GOP congresswoman that voted to impeach President Donald Trump. Kent served in the Army from 1998 to 2018 and has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to war and foreign policy. More than just his knowledge, the Army veteran understands the personal side of these issues more than most can imagine. Not only did he lose friends in the war on terror, he lost his wife. In 2019, Shannon Kent, a Senior Chief in the Navy was killed in action fighting ISIS. This tragedy inspired him to run for office and take on the powers that be. Having a person like Kent, that knows the true horrors of war and suffered so much personal loss from it is something that would behoove our nation. All too often people without these experiences make policy decisions that have these real-world consequences.
I believe Congress should always have people with these backgrounds but due to the nature of current global politics, it’s clear it’s needed now more than ever. During the midterms this year, please take a person’s military background into major consideration when casting your vote.
Jordan Tygh is a United States Coast Guard veteran and former GOP operative. He is a graduate student at the University of Miami.