A record 752 veterans are running for House and Senate seats in 2026. A former Marine recently wrote a book arguing that military veterans can help reduce partisan fighting in Washington. With Honor Action, which tracks veteran candidates, says women veterans are running in historic numbers this year.

NPR's Quil Lawrence discussed the book on Morning Edition on July 6. The book's basic argument is that military service teaches people to work with anyone to get the mission done—and that skill carries over into Congress.

Right now, the House has 79 veterans serving. How many of the 752 running this year will actually win depends on how they do in primary elections and the general election in November.

More Women Veterans Running

One of the biggest shifts is women veterans entering the race. The 19th News reported in February 2026 that a group of Democratic women veterans running for House seats call themselves the "Hell Cats." They stay in touch through a group chat to support each other and share strategy.

Historically, very few women veterans run for Congress. The fact that so many are running now suggests the pipeline is opening up, though it is not yet clear how many will be strong enough to win.

Most Candidates Won't Win

The key number to remember: 752 candidates, but only 79 veterans in Congress. Most candidates lose. They either run in districts where the other party is favored or lose early in primary elections to candidates with more money and name recognition.

A record number of candidates does not mean a record number of veterans will win seats. But it does mean both parties are interested in recruiting veterans, and the military-to-politics pipeline is producing candidates in volume.

Veterans in Congress do not always vote together. They vote mostly along party lines—Republicans with Republicans, Democrats with Democrats. An organization called With Honor Action asks veteran candidates to promise to work across party lines, but whether candidates who sign that pledge actually keep it is a different question.

The big picture: veteran candidates are no longer unusual in American politics. At 752 candidates, they are now a regular part of how parties recruit. Whether that leads to more bipartisan work in Congress depends on which party wins and how willing lawmakers are to work together after the election.