WASHINGTON — Alex Scheel officially launched his congressional bid on June 13, 2025, seeking to unseat incumbent Rep. Marilyn Strickland in Washington's 10th Congressional District. Scheel, a 38-year-old veteran of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is running on a platform that includes Medicare for All and housing justice.

Scheel joined the military in 2007 and served as an interrogator in Iraq until 2011. In 2012, he worked in intelligence in Afghanistan before leaving the military in 2014. Scheel relocated to Washington in 2014 and became involved in community activism in 2018, participating in the Tiki tenants fight in Tacoma. "As an interrogator, I sat and talked to Iraqis and Afghans every day and got to know them and got to understand where they were coming from," Scheel said.

Scheel is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, where he has held roles as housing justice chair, secretary-treasurer, membership coordinator, and campaign coordinator for his local branch. "Platner is an inspiration for this, he's got a similar background to me with the veteran thing," Scheel said.

The Washington primary election is scheduled for August 4, 2025. In Washington, jungle primaries allow the top two finishers, regardless of party affiliation, to advance to the general election. Rep. Strickland's campaign has approximately $800,000 in cash on hand, while Scheel has raised approximately $5,000 for his campaign. Strickland is a leadership member of the moderate New Democratic Coalition and took a trip to Israel in March 2024, sponsored by the American Israel Education Foundation, an arm of AIPAC.