"Trump conservative" with a "drain the swamp" ethos
Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Alex Pelbath served 22 years in uniform and was the last U.S. pilot to fly out of Kabul, as air mission commander during the grossly mishandled 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Pelbath proudly identifies himself as a “Trump conservative” and announced this week his candidacy for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, one day before the fourth anniversary of the Abbey Gate attack that claimed the lives of 13 Americans.
His announcement comes as the incumbent Republican Representative, Nancy Mace, is running for governor. “In combat, mission is everything. My mission is clear: provide President Trump the reinforcements he needs, deliver leadership that makes the Lowcountry proud, and bring an outsider’s perspective to Washington”, said Pelbath to Fox News.
His Air Force career spans several aviation, command, and combat roles, while his post-military experience includes keynote speaker and leadership coach roles with Victory Strategies and as a pilot for Southwest airlines. Much of his messaging has me convinced he is committed to the administration and focused on “draining the swamp” as a self-described political outsider.
