For Democratic veterans making midterm pitches, the Iran war is personal: From the Politics Desk
Three Democratic military veterans—Matt Maasdam, Cait Conley, and Nancy Lacore—are running in competitive House races and framing their campaigns around personal opposition to the Iran war. They argue the conflict risks another endless war, diverts attention from domestic issues, and increases costs for American families. Their military backgrounds lend credibility to their critiques as they seek to appeal to fellow veterans and war-weary voters.
- ▪Matt Maasdam, a retired Navy SEAL, is running in Michigan's 7th District and emphasizes rebuilding domestic infrastructure over foreign wars.
- ▪Cait Conley, an Army veteran, is challenging Rep. Mike Lawler in New York and highlights concerns about being drawn into another prolonged conflict.
- ▪Nancy Lacore, a retired Vice Admiral, says the Iran war evokes memories of her service in Afghanistan and fears of a multidecade war.
- ▪All three candidates are running in Democratic primaries and are backed by VoteVets, which is running ads linking the Iran war to rising gas prices.
- ▪Democratic candidates and groups have produced about two-thirds of all ads mentioning Iran since March 1, according to AdImpact.
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From the Politics DeskFor Democratic veterans making midterm pitches, the Iran war is personal: From the Politics DeskPlus, King Charles addresses Congress. And why another assassination attempt isn't likely to change Trump's approach to public events. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Democratic House candidates Nancy Lacore, left, Matt Maasdam, and Cait Conley.U.S. Navy; Matt Maasdam for Congress; Cait Conley for CongressShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 28, 2026, 5:00 PM EDTBy The Politics DeskWelcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive…
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