Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan launches PAC to boost 'patriotic' candidates

Source: Politico

09/25/2025 05:00 AM EDT


ALBANY, New York — Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan wants to build a bench of patriot-leaders — and is planning to raise millions of dollars to do it.

The two-term House lawmaker is launching a political action committee today to elect candidates with public service backgrounds, including those with experience in the military, teaching or as first responders. The new group, called Patriot PAC, has the goal of raising more than $2 million for candidates this election cycle.

If successful, the project would help a national Democratic Party struggling to build back support among voters following Republican President Donald Trump’s return and a disastrous 2024 election cycle in which the GOP took total control of the federal government. Ryan wants Democrats to be seen as “the patriotic party, the party of service.”

“The Republican Party cannot make a claim on it anymore,” he said in an interview. “That creates not only an opportunity, but a need for the Democratic Party to assert what has always been foundational to us, which is that we are that party of selflessness and the common good.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/25/democratic-rep-pat-ryan-launches-pac-to-boost-patriotic-candidates-00579378