Marine veteran Mike O’Brien launches challenge to Scott Perry in Pennsylvania

Marine Corps veteran Mike O’Brien launched a challenge to Rep. Scott Perry (R-Penn.) on Wednesday, becoming the latest Democrat to jump in the race against the chairman of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus.

“I spent the last 20 years defending democracy overseas, but we need more of that right here at home, right now,” O’Brien said in a campaign launch video. “Congressman Scott Perry and his far-right gang of insurrectionists are a threat to democracy and a threat to our freedoms.”

“That’s why I’m running for Congress right here in my home state of Pennsylvania,” he added. “Pennsylvania families need a fighter on their side who listens to them, who respects them, who cares more about them than about winning partisan food fights.”

O’Brien, who served in the Marine Corps for 20 years as a Top Gun fighter pilot and squadron commander before retiring in August, will first have to face off against fellow Democratic candidates Shamaine Daniels and Rick Coplen in the primary.

Daniels defeated Coplen in the 2022 Democratic primary before ultimately losing to Perry in the general election.

“This isn’t about Democrat versus Republican,” O’Brien said in Wednesday’s video. “It’s about American versus un-American.”

“It’s about regular people versus Washington extremists like Scott Perry,” he added. “It’s going to take all of us to save our democracy.”