Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Tide: Dan Feehan

matt-rice_aleksi

In the upcoming midterm elections, a historic number of veterans are running for Congress. Combat arms soldiers from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have come stateside to serve again, and nearly all of these first-time candidates are running as Democrats. One of those candidates is Dan Feehan, a Bronze Star recipient and former Army Ranger who completed two tours of duty in Iraq from 2005–09. He is now running to represent Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, which is being vacated by fellow Democratic veteran Tim Walz, who is running to be the state’s governor.

As a first-year student at Georgetown University, Feehan watched as the Pentagon burned on Sept. 11, 2001. He had not planned to serve in the military prior to 9/11 but chose to complete the Army ROTC program at Georgetown, which offered him a commission as an engineer officer. In Iraq, Feehan identified roadside bombs as part of the counter-IED effort.

After retiring from the Army, Feehan spent four years as an elementary and middle school teacher in Illinois, and then Indiana. Feehan then worked in the Obama White House through the prestigious White House Fellows program, and he eventually served as acting Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon.

Feehan has now joined a chorus of veterans from the post-9/11 wars who are seeking office this year. Across the country, veterans running as Democrats are vying to unseat entrenched Republican incumbents, many of whom never served in the military. Feehan is a unique case, however. The Minnesota 1st Congressional District is one of a few seats currently represented by a Democrat that was also carried by Trump two years ago. The Republican Party sees the 1st District as one of its most feasible pickup opportunities in a year likely to be successful for Democrats.

Feehan has promised to promote unity and bipartisanship once he gets to Washington, and his record of service is a good indicator of those promises being fulfilled. Walz has been in Congress since 2007 and survived elections in 2010 and 2016 — years that were bad for many Democrats. Feehan has capitalized on Walz’s popularity by taking similar tacks in his own campaign.

Despite running in a relatively conservative district, Feehan is likely to see some success next month thanks to Minnesota’s statewide Democratic ticket. Incumbent Senator Amy Klobuchar is up for reelection, and her landslide victory six years ago, as well as her incredibly high approval ratings, are strong indicators of Democratic prospects across the state. The presence of Walz on the ballot is also likely to benefit Feehan, as he is polling ahead of his Republican opponent.

Dan Feehan has lived a life of service and sacrifice, and we are all better off for that. Whatever you think about his politics or his policies, we should all welcome the prospect of more combat veterans in Congress.