The number of veterans running for Congress has remained elevated, with 188 veteran candidates winning primaries in 2024. While there are reports of growing interest among veteran candidates for 2026, the specific claim of a 47% increase compared to 2024 cannot be verified from available data. Similarly, while there may be increased participation among women and Democratic veterans, the extent of these increases is not clearly documented. What's clear is that military experience continues to be a notable factor in candidate recruitment, though the exact scale of year-over-year growth remains uncertain.