As part of the National Peace Corps Association’s (NPCA) Political Leadership Initiative, we are compiling a list of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) running for political office at the federal, state, and local levels. As a nonpartisan organization, we do not promote candidates based on any political party. Our aim is to share information on candidates of all stripes who have a shared history of service in the Peace Corps. The RPCVs included below are either currently running for office or have recently run.
(NOTE: Some listed candidates did not win their primary or dropped out of the race. However, we want to share and celebrate their efforts, as well, and appreciate their sharing their Peace Corps stories.)
Federal
John Garamendi
RPCV Ethiopia
California’s 8th Congressional District
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
Marni von Wilpert
RPCV Botswana
California’s 48th Congressional District
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
Kelly Kirschner
RPCV Guatemala
Florida’s 16th Congressional District
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
Matthew Montavon
RPCV Costa Rica
Florida’s 17th Congressional District
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
Other RPCVs Who Ran for Office in 2026 at the Federal level
- Katherine Aleman (California), RPCV Paraguay
- Shenna Bellows (Maine), RPCV Panama
- Pete Barlow (Virginia), RPCV The Philippines
- Chris Register (Virginia), RPCV El Salvador
- John Macho (Wisconsin), RPCV Ghana
- Ken Goodenough (Wyoming), RPCV Guatemala
Regardless of whether these candidates lost, dropped out, or decided to run another campaign, we want to share and celebrate their efforts.
State
James Arena-DeRosa
Peace Corps’ New England Regional Director (* Staff)
Massachusetts House, 8th Middlesex District
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
Rebecca Perkins Kwoka
RPCV Senegal
New Hampshire House District 21
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
William (Bill) O’Brien
RPCV South Africa
Rhode Island House District 54
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
Jenny Thacker
RPCV Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
West Virginia House District 100
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
Other RPCVs Who Ran for Office in 2026 at the State level
- Jo Anna Dossett (Georgia, elected in 2024), RPCV Cabo Verde
- Christopher Beardsley (Delaware), RPCV Rwanda
- Eric Bassler (Indiana), RPCV Soviet Union, Albania, and Ukraine
- Shenna Bellows (Maine), RPCV Panama
- Kimmie Ellison (Texas), RPCV Ghana
- Sara Rodriguez (Wisconsin), RPCV Samoa
Regardless of whether these candidates lost, dropped out, or decided to run another campaign, we want to share and celebrate their efforts.
Local
Aaron Wesolowski
RPCV Mali
Washington D.C.’s Ward 3 State Board of Education
Election Date: Nov 3, 2026
Website
More to be added soon!
Banner image photo credit: Miguel Henriques on Unsplash.