Democrats target Republican seats using veteran voters

Democrats are targeting Republican-held congressional seats by appealing to veteran voters, specifically focusing on districts with high military populations. In Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, a conservative stronghold containing facilities such as NORAD and the Air Force Academy, Democratic candidate Jessica Killin is running against incumbent Republican Representative Jeff Crank.

The strategy relies on leveraging dissatisfaction regarding foreign policy, specifically the war with Iran, and perceived upheaval within the armed forces. Democratic efforts are also expanding into veteran-heavy districts in Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia as the party seeks to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

While the veteran population historically leans Republican, some veterans are expressing a desire for legislative guardrails against the executive branch. In Colorado’s 5th District, where nearly one in nine residents is a veteran, Democrats are investing resources for the first time in years to attempt a flip in a district that Donald Trump won by nine percentage points two years ago.