New PAC Pushes Combat Vets for Congress

There was a time after World War II when more than 90 percent of those in Congress had served in combat before they served in Washington.

Today, only about 90 members of Congress are veterans, and few of them have ever been under fire, says Joseph R. John, a retired Navy captain on a mission to change that with the 2010 elections by helping to elect or re-elect to Congress at least 40 combat vets.

“Forty … is just a drop in the bucket” considering there are 435 representatives and 100 senators, John, co-founder in 2009 of Combat Veterans for Congress, told Military.com in an interview. “What I’m trying to do is to insert some of the old-time patriotic spirit we had back at the end of World War II back into Congress.”

His political action committee is dedicated to supporting combat veterans for national office. But you better not have a “D” in your political pedigree.

John supports only candidates who intend to stop “the aggressive drive by the Obama Administration to change the United States into a Socialist State,” according to the PAC leader’s online biography. And while that sentiment is not in the actual mission statement of the organization, John makes clear it was his motivation for organizing the PAC, which he formed last year with former Rep. Barry Goldwater Jr. and Reverge Anselmo, a Marine vet turned Hollywood actor, writer, producer and director.

So far, the group has endorsed 28 candidates in 19 states –- including political newcomers and incumbents such as Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, who’s in a tough fight to win re-election in November.

Combat Vets for Congress is neither the first nor the largest vet-based PAC promoting veterans for public office. VoteVets.org, founded in early 2006, has backed eight candidates successfully and also weighed in on legislation such as funding for body armor and other issues important to troops, said Jon Soltz, an Army captain who served in Iraq in 2003 and co-founded VoteVets.org. Soltz’ group has backed candidates from both major parties, while Combat Vets for Congress has so far endorsed only Republicans.

But VoteVets.org has built its reputation on criticism of the Iraq war, feeding the perception that it was a liberal-leaning organization. Combat Veterans for Congress, on the other hand, backs the Iraq and Afghan wars, and many in leadership roles in the PAC have resumes that show long-time associations with the Republican Party, including working the political campaigns for Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and McCain.

John doesn’t retreat from his claim that Obama is taking the country toward socialism, arguing that Health Care Reform, the Wall Street rescues, and the bailouts of U.S. automakers amount to federal takeovers of huge sectors of the economy.

“We are trying to support the free enterprise system, the independence of small businessmen. We’re not looking to nationalize banks, automobile companies and the medical system of our country,” John said.

And some Republican heavy-hitters have keyed in on the Combat Vets for Congress PAC, including former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who put in a public plug for the group on March 30.

"There are a number of great veteran candidates running for office this year, and there are some excellent organizations dedicated to helping them, including Combat Veterans for Congress,” Palin said in a statement carried on the PAC’s  website.

John said the group is willing to consider Democrats and independents, but he said Democrats that he has spoken to so far say they cannot support the PAC’s mission statement because of its demand to rein in spending, which runs against the party’s current direction.

Libertarians, because of their positions on defense spending and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, have no chance of CVFC support.

“We don’t look at Libertarians because Libertarians want to close down all military bases [overseas], pull all the troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, and cut the defense budget in half,” he said.

John’s bio on his website claims he served three tours in Vietnam, deployed to Kuwait with Special Operations Command during Operation Desert Storm and subsequently was involved with developing and carrying out plans to destroy Iraq’s chem, bio, nuclear and ballistic weapons. He says he earned more than 22 decorations during his service.

While John believes it’s vital to get combat vets elected to Congress, he does not believe combat experience necessarily makes the best lawmaker.

“Absolutely not,” he said, pointing out that former Rep. Goldwater never served but was still a good legislator. “The precept we set is a simple precept: If you raised your right hand …  if you put your life on the line time and time again to defend the Constitution of the United States, you’re a different kind of person than the average, run-of-the-mill person in Congress.”

Photo courtesy of dbking.