The documentary “Taking the Hill”, which prominently features Eric Massa, will premiere on the Discover Channel at 9 pm tonight. Thanks to TheShellDog for reminding me in the comments. I’ll let him take it from here, after the fold, by reprinting his comments.

Taking the HillSome of the most talked about candidates of the 2006 election cycle will be chronicled with Tuesday’s premiere of Taking the Hill, 9 p.m. ET on the Discovery Times Channel. The documentary, which follows a number of the more than 50 veterans who ran for Congress, recently premiered in Washington, DC.

Viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the campaigns of Eric Massa, candidate from New York’s 29th District, Patrick Murphy, Pennsylvania 8th District, Rick Bolanos, Texa 23rd District, and Tammy Duckworth, candidate for the 6th District of Illinois.

All the candidates ran as part of the Band of Brothers, a movement of war veterans who ran for Congress based in large part on their opposition to the war in Iraq. All the candidates in the film ran as members of the Democratic Party. Former Georgia Senator Max Cleland is prominently featured campaigning with and talking behind the scenes to the candidates.

Ultimately, the movie is less about their war service, and more about running for office in 2006. Economic hardship, political inexperience and demands from Democratic organizations all give the viewer a feel for what the candidates faced in their often long-shot bids for office. I won’t give too much away but the documentary, created by Off to War filmmakers Brent and Craig Renaud, is a must-see.

Some interesting information from the candidate question and answer session following the premiere: Bolanos announced he will again seek political office in 2008 in an alternate state and Duckworth has not torn up her membership card to the VFW, who endorsed her opponent, Republican Peter Roskam, despite his lack of military service. Neither has Murphy, who also was overlooked for the endorsement in his race. Nearly all the candidates had harsh words for the amount of money needed to be raised to be seen as viable candidates.

Only one candidate featured in the film won their respective race, and the incoming Congress will have the least number of veterans since at least the First World War.

Catch the documentary Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on the Discovery Times Channel.