Don’t just thank a veteran. Vote for them.

With Honor Co-Founder & CEO Rye Barcott joins No Labels Co-Executive Director Margaret White and members of the Problem Solvers Caucus on the Capitol steps. 

A few days after the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk, I stood alongside members of the Problem Solvers Caucus on the steps of the United States Capitol. Our message was simple: political violence has no place in America. Living up to that message, however, is far more difficult because healing our democracy requires not just condemning violence but confronting the divisions that fuel it.   

Last week’s Politico poll underscored that challenge. 55% of Americans now expect politically motivated violence to increase. Even more alarming, nearly one in four believe there are circumstances in which such violence is justified. That sobering reality reflects how fragile our civic fabric has become and how urgently we need leaders capable of restoring trust and civility to public life. 

It was out of that same concern for our fraying democracy that I co-founded With Honor in 2017 with U.S. Marine Corps veteran Peter Dixon and the late David Gergen, a longtime presidential advisor and U.S. Navy veteran. We began with a simple conviction: that one way to heal America’s growing partisanship, especially in Congress, was to elect more principled veterans.  

Today, as trust in nearly every major institution continues to erode, one group still stands apart: those who have served. This Veterans Day, a landmark Gallup–With Honor survey reveals a striking truth: Despite our divisions, Americans continue to hold veterans in high esteem. They trust us to lead with integrity, to put the country over party, and to bridge what divides us; precisely the qualities our democracy needs most right now. 

Trust Forged in Service 

In a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 adults, 55% of Americans say military service makes them more likely to vote for a candidate, compared with just 7% who say it makes them less likely. That level of confidence is virtually unmatched by any other background — political, corporate, or academic.   

Americans associate veterans with the very qualities our democracy needs most. 82% say veterans possess strong leadership skills. 78% believe they put the nation’s interests ahead of their own. 77% agree they work effectively across differences. 

These aren’t just favorable impressions, but the result of values shaped through real experiences under pressure, where teamwork, accountability, and a commitment to the mission take precedence. 

Leaders Beyond the Uniform 

Veterans have already proven their courage, answering the call to protect our nation when it mattered most. Today, many continue that service in new arenas, bringing integrity, civility, and courage to the boardroom, the classroom, and, yes, even to Congress. 

Take the current generation of veterans who have stepped up to serve in Congress. Leaders like Representatives Don Bacon and Chrissy Houlahan, who, despite standing on opposite sides of the aisle, joined forces to deliver a historic 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members. Likewise, Representatives Pat Ryan and Jen Kiggans are working side by side to champion bipartisan legislation that extends military health care coverage to dependents up to age 26, ensuring parity with private insurance plans. 

Reps. Bacon and Houlahan, both Air Force veterans, co-led the House Armed Services Committee’s Military Quality of Life Panel, which passed 25 of its 30 recommendations in last year’s NDAA. 

In the Senate, Senators Todd Young and Mark Kelly are driving forward transformative legislation to overhaul, rebuild, and revitalize America’s shipbuilding capacity, a cornerstone of our national strength, while Senators Roger Wicker and Jack Reed, the leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee, are spearheading a generational reform of our military’s acquisition and procurement systems. 

Leadership like this isn’t forged in isolation. It’s shaped through shared service, sacrifice, and a belief in something greater than self. Whether strengthening our national defense through advances in health care, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence, or expanding opportunities for all Americans to serve, in and out of uniform, these veterans in Congress are proving what principled, mission-driven leadership looks like. 

Restoring Purpose to Public Life 

A new generation of veterans across the nation is stepping into the political arena. After our first election cycle in 2018, the veterans that With Honor supported came together to found the For Country Caucus, a group of now-37 U.S. representatives not drawn together by any ideological or political litmus test, but by their shared military background and commitment to putting their country before themselves. 

Looking ahead to the 2026 midterms, an upward trend is expected among veterans from both parties running for office. To date, With Honor is tracking 474 verified veteran candidates running in federal races across the nation.  

Of these candidates, 395 are running for the House of Representatives, and 79 are running for the Senate. With just over seven months to go until the final federal candidate filing deadlines, and with likely more open seats, retirements, and new district lines to come, veteran candidates are on track to outperform their numbers from last cycle, in which 513 veterans across both chambers ran. 

These candidates are stepping forward to serve again, this time in a different uniform. Their sense of duty, discipline, and results-oriented approach can help restore civility and purpose to our governance. But they can’t do it alone. They need a nation willing to support leaders who put the country above party and service above self-interest. 

The Gallup–With Honor Study 

That’s why With Honor partnered with Gallup to better understand a vital question: how can the character and leadership developed through military service help heal our divisions at home? 

The study’s findings reveal that Americans’ trust in veterans extends far beyond the realm of elections: 

• 83% say they trust veterans to lead disaster response efforts. 

• 70% trust them to help shape foreign policy. 

• 68% trust veterans to serve effectively in community leadership roles.  

In short, Americans see veterans not only as defenders of the nation but as pragmatic problem-solvers at home. 

A Call to Trust and Follow 

When I stood on the Capitol steps with nearly 30 members of Congress, half were veterans or currently serving in the military.  

For a weary and divided electorate, their example matters. Americans are searching for leaders who stand for something larger than themselves. Veterans have already proven they can do that. The data confirm what most of us already know in our hearts: service builds character, and character builds trust. 

This Veterans Day, let’s do more than offer gratitude. Let’s give those who’ve earned our trust the opportunity to lead once again — in our communities, in our institutions, and in our politics. Because when veterans lead, America is stronger, steadier, and more united. 

Editor’s Note: This post was contributed by a guest. The views and opinions outlined in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of No Labels.