James Osyf

James Osyf is a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, a defense innovation executive, and the son of Ukrainian immigrants who came to this country seeking freedom and opportunity. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with  advanced degrees from Harvard and Georgetown, James has built a career in public service – guided by the belief that America’s best days are still ahead.

Now, he’s running for Congress to bring that same mission-first approach to a broken Washington. James thinks that government should work for the people it serves: protecting freedoms, expanding opportunity, and restoring integrity to our institutions. From submarine deployments to shaping national defense policy, he’s seen how effective public service depends on competence, not politics.

As someone who served through “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and champions the contributions of the LGBTQ+ national security community, James brings both lived experience and professional credibility to the fight for a more representative democracy. He believes inclusive service is a national imperative, and that standing up for equality isn’t just good policy, it’s what leadership looks like. James represents a new generation of Democrats focused not on partisanship, but on delivering results for families, veterans, and communities too often left behind.