Politics
Veterans Fast Vanishing from Halls of Congress
(Politico) – Only 20 percent of today’s lawmakers have served in the military, the lowest rate since World War II and a dramatic fall from over 70 percent in the 1970s.
And that figure could sink even lower after this fall’s midterms.
In this year’s congressional primaries, the number of veterans winning party nominations has fallen strikingly compared with the 2012 cycle, according to research from the Veterans Campaign, an organization that helps former soldiers run for office.
“The numbers are down significantly,” said Seth Lynn, executive director of the Veterans Campaign. “I think there was a pretty big push before, when the wars were a bigger issue in elections, to have veterans running, especially among Democrats. … And that may not be as big of a deal anymore.”
