Veterans are expected to make up a smaller share of Congress than at any point in decades when the 120th Congress begins in January. Yet the new class also reflects a notable partisan shift: Democrats are bringing in about three times as many first-time veteran members as Republicans, narrowing the overall gap between the parties.
Veterans are projected to hold about 15% of congressional seats, down from roughly 19% in the outgoing Congress and 27% in 2001, before the war on terror began. The decline comes even though a record number of veterans ran for office in 2026.
In January 2025, Congress had 28 Democratic veterans and 72 Republican veterans. The incoming Congress is expected to include 33 Democrats and 46 Republicans among its 79 veteran members.
At least 11 Democratic veterans are projected to enter the House for the first time, compared with four Republicans. One race remains uncalled: in Colorado’s 4th District, retired Navy Rear Adm. Eileen Laubacher, a former Republican who changed parties in 2024, leads Rep. Lauren Boebert by about 3,300 votes, with nearly all ballots counted. Some news outlets have declared Laubacher the winner. She has been a vocal critic of War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Among the incoming Democratic freshmen is former Navy Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore of South Carolina. Hegseth removed her from her post as chief of the Navy Reserve in August 2025.
Several incoming Democratic veterans have criticized Hegseth’s personnel decisions, his role in promotion matters and his attention to cultural issues. Some have backed stronger congressional oversight or impeachment proceedings. Lacore, the highest-ranking veteran in the incoming class, has said she was not told why she was fired and argued that Hegseth’s leadership has hurt military readiness.
The four Republican veteran freshmen have generally supported the administration’s defense priorities, including Hegseth.
The shrinking number of veterans in Congress also reflects this year’s election results: 12 Republican veterans lost their seats. Among veterans who retired or chose not to run again, 11 were Republicans and two were Democrats. Three more left after losing campaigns for other offices, while four Republicans and one Democrat left early or died during the previous Congress.
