A U.S. Navy veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom on the other side of the world, and a veteran of Hudson County political wars in his hometown of Bayonne, Mike Embrich this year led the charge across the river to battleground Pennsylvania for Veterans & Military Families for Harris and Walz.
As a veteran, he felt especially motivated to back Harris against former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, the Republican nominee.
“Trump has been a horrible commander-in-chief to veterans, routinely disparaging the likes of General [Mark] Milley and his own then-chief-of-staff, General [John] Kelly, in addition to calling WWII heroes suckers and losers and wondering why he should pay for a Mexican American military veteran’s funeral,” Embrich told InsiderNJ. “These are not Democrats pointing these things out, but the observations of his handpicked minions, so to speak.”
Trump also infamously attacked the Vietnam War service of the late U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona.
In the back-and-forth campaign roil of the Keystone State these past four months, Embrich reminded military veteran voters and their families of Trump’s poor record. “The big difference between 2016 [Trump versus Hillary Clinton] and now is there so many more veterans engaged [for the Democratic candidate],” he said. “There was no veterans program back then. Harris and Walz needed a veterans’ program and it is an effective one. People have to understand that veterans are a more diverse group than they’ve ever been, across the board. We are seeing, for example, the first black female cadet leader of the West Point Cadet Class. The polling of veterans is oftentimes skewed and does not properly represent a broad group and its views. There has been a real demographic shift in that short period of time alone.”
Having participated in the Hudson GOTV political war of 2007, and hard-fought local elections in his hometown, including Smith v. Conahan, Embrich this year organized a voter ID program for Harris-Walz in Pennsylvania, wrote letters to the editor and op-eds, including a piece in Rolling Stone Magazine, and welcomed Academy Award-winning actor Robert DeNiro and former United States Secretary of State John Kerry – himself a Navy veteran – to an Eagles Tailgate party yesterday as his campaign’s penultimate preelection day act.
“We were very well received by Eagles’ fans,” he said.
The Navy veteran said the group is closing strong, keenly aware of Trump’s ongoing rant about an illegitimate election, his own motivation heightened to secure a Harris victory. Embrich has experience with close elections. After graduating from Bayonne High School and joining the Navy, he voted in Pensacola, Florida, for president in 2000. That was the Bush-Gore hanging chad election. Deployed overseas then after 9/11, this time he settled for mobilization across the river.
“I feel good about the work of Pennsylvania for Veterans & Military Families for Harris and Walz, definitely,” said Embrich. “I did everything I could, and I know the veterans of Pennsylvania – and their families – know why they should vote for Harris.”
He already voted.
As for what remains between now and then the polls close tomorrow?
“Maybe I’ll make some calls in Bayonne today,” said the Bayonne political diehard.
PICTURED, TOP, Michael Emrich, left, in the sunglasses, with Robert DeNiro, center, and former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Eagles fans on the Football Sunday before Election Day in Philadelphia.
Below: Michael Embrich’s CLOSING ARGUMENT in his own work and words:
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Mike Embrich, a military veteran from Bayonne, New Jersey, is on a mission to mobilize his fellow veterans to vote for Kamala Harris in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Embrich, who served in the Army for 12 years, believes that Harris is the best candidate to support veterans and their families.
Embrich’s efforts are part of a larger campaign to engage veterans in the political process and ensure that their voices are heard in this crucial election. According to Embrich, many veterans feel disillusioned by the current political climate and are looking for a candidate who will prioritize their needs and concerns.
In Pennsylvania, a key swing state with a large population of veterans, Embrich’s efforts could make a significant impact on the outcome of the election. By mobilizing veterans to support Harris, Embrich hopes to show that veterans have the power to shape the future of the country and make a difference in the political process.
Embrich’s work has already garnered attention from political insiders in New Jersey, with Insider NJ reporting on his efforts to rally support for Harris among veterans in Pennsylvania. Embrich’s dedication to his fellow veterans and his commitment to ensuring that their voices are heard in this election are commendable, and his efforts could prove to be crucial in determining the outcome of the election in Pennsylvania.
As Election Day approaches, it is more important than ever for all Americans, including veterans, to exercise their right to vote and have their voices heard. Mike Embrich’s work to mobilize veterans in support of Kamala Harris is a shining example of the power of grassroots activism and the importance of civic engagement in shaping the future of our country.
