A positive highlight to emerge from the recent midterm election was the 77 military veterans voted into office across the country.

Combining that number with the 15 incumbent veterans in the Senate who did not face election means that at least 92 veterans will be part of the 116th session of Congress in January. A few races that involve veteran candidates remain too close to call.

The number of candidates who served in the military over the past four decades has been shrinking, a reflection of the lingering negative view on the military since the Vietnam War. But there has been a rising respect for military service since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and in recent years since President Trump’s focus on rebuilding the military.

Many conservatives believe that having veterans in the legislature will reduce the political grandstanding and help break the partisan gridlock in Congress. Jason Mangone, a former Marine and co-author with General Stanley McChrystal and retired Navy SEAL Jeff Eggers of “Leaders: Myth and Reality,” feels that young veterans have the leadership qualities that make them likely to put country ahead of party.

Veterans Campaign Executive Director Seth Lynn was also excited about the younger veterans. Among the 77 election-night winners, 17 of them are new candidates, making this the largest class of freshman veteran lawmakers since 2010. Half of those taking a place in Congress in January are veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001. Of the 92 total, 25 are Democrats and 67 are Republicans.

Three of the 16 rookies are women, doubling the number of female veterans already serving in the House and Senate. They are former Navy helicopter pilot Mikie Sherrill, who won a New Jersey congressional seat; Air Force veteran Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania; and Virginia Rep. Elaine Luria, a Navy veteran.

They will be joining three incumbent female veterans — Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Democratic Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, and Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.

Houlahan, a first-time candidate in southeastern Pennsylvania’s 6th District, which includes parts of Philadelphia, favors a ban on assault weapons, as do Democrats Jason Crow of Colorado, 39, who won a House seat long-held by Republican Mike Coffman; and Elaine Luria, a former Navy commander who won a seat held by Virginia Republican Scott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL seeking a second term.

Other winners included Florida Republican Rep. Michael Waltz, a Green Beret and commentator for Fox News; and Texas Republican Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who nearly died and lost his right eye in an IED bombing in Afghanistan but still served in two more deployments. He won his district despite being lampooned on “Saturday Night Live” for his wartime injury. The SNL skit actually galvanized the conservative base, producing an angry backlash much like the one Democrats caused by lashing out against and attempting to defame Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings.

One unfortunate loser for Republicans was John James, a rising young GOP star who lost his bid for a seat from Michigan despite having an outstanding military record. After graduating from West Point in 2004, James became a Ranger-qualified aviation officer and served with distinction in Operation Iraqi Freedom where he earned a Combat Action Badge and two Air Medals, among other awards.

James is pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and is a pro-business conservative with great insight as a problem-solver. His leadership, vision and passion for government service would have benefited Michigan voters. Despite that loss, however, veterans will be better represented in the halls of Congress come January, and that’s a plus for all of America.

By Jim Zbick | tneditor@tnonline.com