In my daily dose of DailyKos, I picked up on a story that I haven’t been following: a concerted campaign by Kos and Air America’s Majority Report to promote veterans who are running for Congress as Democrats (FightingDems is the appellation). As Kos reports, there are now as many as 52 candidates who have identified themselves and veterans and Democrats via the Band of Brothers organization.

Just a sampling of some of the candidates:

Tammy Duckworth, IL-06

We also need people in Congress who represent the generations of young Americans whose lives are directly affected by the foreign policy decisions of the U.S. government. It is critical that we do a better job of understanding how to use this nation's tremendous military power in ways that reflect the essential decency and morality of ordinary Americans…of the people who live in the Sixth District.

Chris Carney, PA-10

As one who serves, Chris strongly disagrees with the Bush administration cutbacks on benefits for veterans, the National Guard, and Reserves. He will fight to restore and expand benefits for our veterans. To do otherwise would be dereliction of duty.

Patrick Murphy, PA-08

As a military officer, I took an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic." At West Point I taught constitutional law and the important rights embodied in this living document. As a Congressman, I will fight to protect a person’s right to privacy, to ensure the equal protection of the law, and to support the rights given to us by our constitution. Bobby Kennedy once said, "In our society, laws are administered to protect and expand individual freedom, not to compel individuals to follow the logic other men impose on them."

With a rally last week in D.C. and some media coverage, it is beginning to feel like this might be a phenomenon to watch. Is it too early to hope that a concerted, substantial effort by a group of Democratic veterans could avoid a “swift boat” attack as DavidNYC (via Kos) suggests? A compelling answer to that might already be forming if you look at the lengthy and persuasive responses on the Band of Brothers site to the attacks on John Murtha.

It also seems like we could begin seeing a Deaniac-like response to Air America’s campaign: small dollar donations by “people like you” to these candidates (see Tim Walz’s site as example). Could it make a difference?