Congressman Dan Crenshaw, the man whose aim is to “make conservatism cool and exciting again”, is generally thought to be one of the most exciting and influential young voices in the Republican Party. However, Crenshaw – who has found himself in opposition to President Trump in the past on issues relating to foreign policy – is recognized for more than just his political views, and his grizzled, eyepatched profile has also raised questions about his background.
Dan Crenshaw lost his eye in 2012 after sustaining an injury from an IED blast during his third deployment in Afghanistan. In total, Crenshaw served 10 years as a Navy SEAL, split up into five separate deployments, and was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for his service.
Often cited as the “future of the Republican Party”, many conservative thinkers in the country believe Crenshaw has what it takes to improve on his meteoric rise and take his career to the highest level of domestic politics. And, when it comes to the making of Dan Crenshaw, few politicians can say they’ve endured what he has experienced.
The Early Years
Said to be a “proud sixth-generation Texan”, Crenshaw is the son of Jim Crenshaw, a petroleum engineer. Due to his father’s career, the Crenshaw family enjoyed a pretty nomadic existence that took them all over the world.
Dan Crenshaw himself was actually born in Aberdeen, Scotland, which is something of a hub in the global petroleum industry.
It was because of his father’s career that Crenshaw also spent time living in Latin American countries such as Ecuador and Colombia, and it is because of his upbringing that the young politician can speak fluent Spanish now.
It is believed that his time living outside the U.S. only proved to enhance his patriotic values and ideals, and focus his zeal to become a Navy SEAL and serve his homeland. On the politician’s own website, the bio even states that “everything Dan did was to ensure he became a SEAL”.
Crenshaw graduated from Tufts University in 2006, it was here where he earned his Naval officer commission through Navy ROTC. After his graduation, it wasn’t long before Crenshaw put his devotion to the test and reported to SEAL training in Coronado, CA.
Following the IED blast in Helmand province that would prove to change his forever, it is understood that some medical professionals attending Crenshaw believed he might never see again. After several operations, the return of his vision was dubbed a “miracle”.
After his incredible recovery, Crenshaw sought deployment twice more, once in the Middle East and then another time in South Korea. By the time Crenshaw retired in 2016, he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
A Devotion to Change
Life after service saw Crenshaw permanently reunite with his wife, Tara, in Houston, Texas. He went on to complete his Master’s in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
However, Crenshaw, who is now something of a force of nature, actually decided to get into politics in the wake of a force of nature. Hurricane Harvey – a devastating category 4 hurricane – wrought chaos, destruction, and devastation across parts of Texas and Louisiana.
In fact, Crenshaw’s community was hit so hard by the storm, and the suffering became so evident, that the veteran decided to do something about it. He began volunteering in Katy, helping individuals recover whatever they could of their former lives.
Hurricane Harvey triggered a change in Crenshaw’s character that he hadn’t considered ever before. It is said that, in the wake of the storm, Crenshaw “saw what makes Texans so special: the refusal to give up, the dedication to helping others, the unshakable determination, or Texas grit”.
With the zeal to support, help, and improve the lives of those in his community, Crenshaw decided to run for office, and, in 2018, he was elected to represent the people of Texas’s Second Congressional District.
Navy SEAL to U.S. Congressman
Crenshaw’s early years in congress saw the statesman do exactly what he proposed to do from the outset – serve the people of Texas. During these years, Crenshaw is said to have focused on border security, disaster relief funding, cutting excessive spending, and implementing fiscally responsible policies.
Despite the fact that Crenshaw is seen as a conservative through-and-through, the politician has found faults with Donald Trump’s presidency and has called the President out on numerous occasions for his comments criticizing the late John McCain, and his stance on foreign policy, among other things.
Ultimately, it is Crenshaw’s tendency to stick to his guns and champion the livelihoods of the American people that many find appealing about Crenshaw.