A retired Navy SEAL said she plans on bringing the values that she fought for overseas to the campaign trail as she runs for a seat in Congress as a transgender woman and retired special forces operative.

"I'm fighting for liberty and individual freedom ... I'm doing it now, just like I did in the SEALs," Kristen Beck in an interview with Katie Couric on Thursday.

She plans to run against House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the second most-powerful Democrat in the House and also an advocate for LGBT rights. Despite that, Beck said it was time for Hoyer "to go fishing," saying that he's "not in touch with some things."

Beck said she is "100 percent working class" and part of a "new generation."

Beck said that she remains, like the rest of her active and retired SEAL teammates, protective of people who need safety.

"Being hard core and being who we are as SEAL teams, we're sheepdogs — we fight for the people that can't defend themselves." Beck said.

Beck was deployed as a Navy SEAL 13 times and fought for 20 years as Christopher Beck. He was part of the elite Seal Team 6. Among other awards, Beck received a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star with a "V" for valor, and a Joint Service Commendation. She came out as transgender in 2013.

For her, fighting for Americans in the past meant protecting citizens from overseas threats. Now, Beck is looking to protect the transgendered citizens through a seat in Congress.

"I understand prejudice, I understand adversity and I know how to stand up," Beck said, explaining how her experience of being beaten in Tampa, Fla., for wearing a dress will help her to defend her constituents.

Beck plans to fight in Congress for a more open military that will protect transgender people from "witch hunts." Beck added that she approved of Secretary of Defense Ash Carter's promise on Monday to review the policies regarding transgender people in the military.

"[Government policies must be] still in keeping with the military's primary objective, which is operational readiness. Which is taking care of your people. Tanks and bullets and bombs and guns and all that, that's all secondary to the people."

Beck added that she believed the military's objective of taking care of its people should involve paying for hormone therapy for those who need it.

But Beck doesn't imagine that changing the military will be easy.

"Imagine the military — has there ever been any smooth sailing? You're talking about a pretty difficult mission that the military is faced with," she said.

Following Carter's announcement, there has been backlash from conservative parties around the nation. Arizona Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he planned to monitor the situation. Yet Beck said that McCain's office seemed pretty equivocal.

"I've met with some of [McCain's] staffers around a year ago and had some pretty good conversations with them and they are pretty opened-minded for the most part," she said.

She said that the announcement of her candidacy has been received "pretty well."

However, some LGBT activists do not support Beck, seemingly wary of an off-the-cuff, rough speaker like Beck. Beck made clear that she plans on having an impact on transgender policy in the military, which she hopes her run for Congress will bolster.

"Put aside everything," Beck said. "Am I capable or am I not capable? I was on the SEAL teams for 20 years — I am capable."