A war hero is running for Congress, and she just dropped one of 2018's best political ads

Fredreka Schouten | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption MJ Hegar: a mom, veteran and now politician An Air Force combat veteran and mother from Round Rock, Texas, Hegar is running for Congress.

WASHINGTON — You may not know much of anything about M.J. Hegar, but the political video the Texas Democrat released this week aims to change that.

The ad, entitled "Doors," traces the Air Force veteran's path from a little girl at her mother's side, fleeing domestic abuse to helping save her team from Taliban capture after their Medevac helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan.

Hegar, who earned a Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross for her bravery, later challenged the Pentagon's policy that excluded women from ground combat.

Her life has been "about opening, pushing, and sometimes kicking through every door in my way," the tattooed mother of two says over her video's rock 'n' roll soundtrack.

The ad ends with her promise to "show ...the door" to her rival, Republican Rep. John Carter, an eight-term congressman.

The video, posted Thursday, had nearly 280,000 views on YouTube as of early Friday afternoon and had earned praise from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the smash Broadway hit Hamilton, who called it "the best political ad anyone's ever seen."