Democratic Doctors and Nurses Flip About 6 GOP Seats, Targeting RFK Jr.'s Agenda
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Nov 4
Democratic Doctors and Nurses Flip About 6 GOP Seats, Targeting RFK Jr.'s Agenda
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 4
Summary
About a half-dozen Democratic medical professionals captured Republican-held congressional seats, making health policy and opposition to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. central campaign themes.
Annie Andrews of South Carolina and Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan appear to be the first Democratic doctors elected to the Senate in roughly 60 years, while California's Richard Pan ousted incumbent Kevin Kiley.
314 Action said Kennedy became its top recruitment and fundraising issue this cycle, and the group spent $30 million backing Democratic scientists and health care candidates.
The wins also included House flips by Ohio nurse practitioner Kristina Knickerbocker and Wisconsin former VA nurse Mitchell Berman, with Arizona physician Amish Shah still on track in a competitive race.
Their gains build on a smaller 2018 wave of Democratic doctors and scientists and could form a larger caucus focused on ACA affordability, restoring expired subsidies and easing insurance hurdles.