Veteran, author launches US Senate campaign in North Carolina

Military veteran and author Marjorie K. Eastman announced her campaign for U.S. Senate in North Carolina on Tuesday.

Eastman enters a crowded Republican primary field with three other candidates, one who has already been endorsed by former President Trump, in the race to replace Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.).

“I am the only political outsider, veteran, and woman in this race,” Eastman said in announcing her candidacy. “For far too long, politicians have recklessly spent while our families and friends struggled to make ends meet. It is time to forge a path out of this pandemic that focuses on accelerating growth and helping our children regain momentum in their education.” 

Eastman, who enlisted after 9/11 and served ten years as a commander and intelligence officer, also used her announcement to promote herself as pro-life, pro-gun and pro-capitalism. 

She chastised the recent U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, as well as the border crisis, gas shortages, inflation and cyberattacks in her announcement, but made no mention of President Biden or Democrats. 

Along with serving in the U.S. Army Reserve, Eastman is an award-winning author of the book “The Frontline Generation: How We Served Post 9/11.”

In her campaign video, Eastman vowed to only serve two terms as senator, saying the country needs to “end the era of career politicians collecting taxpayers’ money while doing nothing to better our country or our state.”

“I spent my entire career helping make America safe and I want to continue doing that in the U.S. Senate,” she said.

In June, Trump issued a surprise endorsement of Rep. Ted Budd in the GOP Senate primary, giving the third-term conservative lawmaker a boost against former Gov. Pat McCrory, who served from 2013 to 2017, and former Rep. Mark Walker.