COLUMBUS, OHIO - Scott Radcliffe thinks two tours of duty in Iraq gave him the stuff to serve in Congress. As a platoon commander, he helped spearhead economic development, built citizen coalitions and made many tough decisions, often amid enemy fire.

"I would be putting all I learned in that pressure-filled environment into practice. So it really cuts through metal," said Radcliffe, 28, who seeks to unseat a newly elected Republican in northwest Ohio.

He's among the dozen young Republicans from across the country helping one another campaign under the banner of Iraq Veterans for Congress, cross-promoting one another and directing donors to a shared Web site. It's a response to the anti-war veterans whose campaigns drew attention in 2006, among them Patrick Murphy of Philadelphia, the lone Iraq war veteran serving in Congress.

The platform of Iraq Vets for Congress grew out of the attitudes of the previous election: They believe in victory in Iraq, staying on the offense in the fight against terrorism and taking care of all veterans, said founder Kieran Lalor, who's running for a seat in New York.

Lalor's pro-war band of brothers includes California's Eric Egland, a military intelligence officer who gained national attention for his book "The Troops Need You, America" and a charity of the same name. Other members of the group hail from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Indiana and Maine.

In North Carolina, member Will Breazeale, a major in the Army reserves who served three tours of duty in Iraq, is seeking the Republican nomination in the 7th District to oppose Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre.

"Most people say we [Republicans] lost the Congress last time because of the war," said Lalor, 32, of Wappingers Falls, N.Y. "I put my life on the line there, I lost friends there, and if I didn't believe American national security was at stake, I would be the first to say so.

"We as messengers are as important as the message."

The warrior returned from battle to serve in public life is as ancient as the Roman hero Cincinnatus and as familiar as five-star general-turned-President Dwight Eisenhower. Political scientist Costas Panagopoulos, director of Fordham University's graduate program in Elections and Campaign Management, said combat experience resonates with voters, especially during wartime.

"It doesn't surprise me that we're seeing this development in the current election cycle," Panagopoulos said. "We're a country facing major national security and international issues, and ... that experience will grab attention on the campaign trail."

Both parties have recruited veterans in some of the nation's most competitive congressional districts. Democratic state Sen. John Boccieri, an Air Force reservist who has served in Iraq, is seeking the northeastern Ohio district being vacated by 18-term Republican Rep. Ralph Regula.

And in Maine's 1st District, where six-term Democratic Rep. Tom Allen is running for the Senate, Republican Charlie Summers is seeking Allen's seat while serving in Iraq as a Navy reservist.

Despite the war's unpopularity, Americans still support their troops, and facing a veteran on the campaign trail can be difficult, said Michael Dejak, campaign manager for Summers' challenger in the Republican primary, Dean Scontras.

"It gives a candidate an unfair disadvantage because you're just kind of campaigning in a vacuum, but your opponent is draped in this ... ," Dejak said without finishing his sentence. "He's untouchable, almost."

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