314 Action Fund has announced nearly $7.9 million in investments to date in key Democratic primaries in the 2026 election cycle, endorsed over 300 candidates up and down the ballot and scored early wins. With primaries underway today in Georgia and Pennsylvania, it’s clear: the next 60 days are the most consequential primary stretch of this cycle.
In 2026, 314 Action has already committed more than we have in previous cycles and invested earlier, because we’re not waiting for November, we are shaping the field now. Despite the results nationwide, 2024 was the most successful election year on record for 314 Action Fund. We invested just over $3 million in the primary season for that cycle, ultimately helping elect or re-elect 248 Democratic scientists across the country, including a total of seven new STEM members to Congress. With more than double that committed to key Democratic primaries in 2026, 314 Action Fund is on track to deliver more wins in the midterms.
The following memo outlines our major investments this cycle and our focus on the next 60 days.
MORE THAN DOUBLING OUR PRIMARY INVESTMENTS IN THE 2026 CYCLE: NEARLY $7.9M AND COUNTING
- $410K in IL-09: PhD Mathematician and Evanston Mayor, Daniel Biss won in a 15-way primary in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District. 314 Action Fund endorsed Biss early in the cycle and our Super PAC spent $410,000 on targeted investments across digital and mail to boost his candidacy. Despite nearly $9 million in outside funding spent against him, Biss won the primary and will become the next Congressman for IL-09.
- $120K in IL-07: 314 Action Fund endorsed ER doctor Dr. Thomas Fisher and spent nearly $120,000 on a targeted digital ad buy featuring two ads highlighting his experience and expertise as a medical professional.
- $300K in GA-13: Ahead of tonight’s Georgia 13th Congressional District primary, 314 Action Fund launched a Joint Fundraising Committee with a $300,000 broadcast TV investment to support Dr. Jasmine Clark’s campaign. Dr. Clark would be the first Black female PhD scientist ever elected to Congress. 314 Action Fund has been proud to support her from the beginning, endorsing her initial candidacy for the statehouse in 2018 and we’re confident she will be the next Congresswoman from Georgia’s 13th Congressional District.
- $3.5M in PA-03: 314 Action Fund has been proud to support Dr. Ala Stanford in Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, elevating her campaign from polling showing Dr. Stanford with 10% support in December 2025 to a serious contender on Election Day with early investments.
- $1.5M in CA-06: In California’s 6th Congressional District, 314 Action Fund has gone all-in to support pediatrician and former State Senator Dr. Richard Pan in the primary, including launching a Joint Fundraising Committee broadcast TV buy with Dr. Pan to “Stop RFK Jr.” This investment totals $1.5 million between the JFC and Super PAC spending.
- $1.4M in CA-22: Dr. Bains, a family physician who serves in the state Assembly, represents the strongest candidate to flip this seat from Republican control, and 314 Action Fund is proud to be investing heavily in her race. 314 Action Fund has supported Dr. Bains since 2022 when she ran for State Assembly. In 2026, 314 Action Fund’s Super PAC invested $1.4 million in Dr. Bains’ campaign for California’s 22nd Congressional District.
- $650K in Maine Governor’s race: 314 Action Victory Fund – Maine today announced a $650,000 Independent Expenditure investment across TV and digital ahead of the June 9 primary. Shah is the highest ranking former CDC official to run this cycle and heads into Election Day as the clear frontrunner in the race.
314 ACTION BACKS MOST TRUSTED CANDIDATES
In 2026, doctors and scientists are running for office in record numbers—and as RFK Jr. takes his anti-science message across the country, voters overwhelmingly prefer candidates with backgrounds in science or medicine by a margin of nearly 6-to-1 over MAHA-aligned candidates—that’s according to our recent national poll conducted by Data for Progress.
314 Action Fund recently endorsed two New Jersey doctors: Dr. Tina Shah in NJ-07 and Dr. Adam Hamawy in NJ-12. Both are physicians — Dr. Shah is an ICU doctor, Dr. Hamawy is a former U.S. Army combat surgeon who has worked in hospitals in Gaza. They have seen firsthand what happens when the hospital and healthcare system fails people. They are running as part of 314 Action’s Guardians of Public Health initiative, which aims to invest $25 million to elect 100 doctors and healthcare leaders to office by 2030.
Tonight in Georgia, a win for Dr. Jasmine Clark would add a second consecutive cycle victory for a PhD scientist in Congress and make clear that the 314 Action’s playbook is working. Combined with our growing portfolio of support in California, Maine, and New Jersey, it would signal to the political world that 314 Action is becoming a major player in Democratic politics and voters are turning to highly qualified, STEM leaders they can trust to represent them in Washington.
OUR PLAYBOOK
Investing in Democratic primaries is a long-standing part of 314 Action Fund’s strategy but this year, we have doubled our commitments, made earlier investments to shape the field, and utilized new vehicles of funding including Joint Fundraising Committees (JFC) to deploy resources directly to campaigns quickly.
Since 314 Action was established 10 years ago, we have grown as an organization cycle-by-cycle and refined our formula for electing scientists. In 2026, our playbook is guided by three overarching pillars:
- Early investment: Unlike the establishment, we do not wait for primaries to take shape to pick a winner. We identify strong candidates with STEM backgrounds early, provide operational support to strengthen their campaign infrastructure and get behind them when our investment matters most.
- Primary strategy: Our theory of change is built on investing in primaries. General elections matter, but the composition of the Democratic caucus—and what kind of Democrats get elected—are determined in primaries. With Trump and RFK Jr.’s war on science, 314 Action believes now is the time to elect more Democratic doctors, scientists and healthcare professionals in Washington.
- JFC coordination: In select high-priority races, we deploy Joint Fundraising Committee structures to maximize resources and coordinate effectively with allied donors and campaigns. GA-13 and CA-06 are examples of this approach in action this cycle.
Bottom Line: 314 Action is becoming a major player in Democratic primaries and our investments are shaping the field in competitive races across the country. We started the year with a win in Illinois, and we expect to add to that record in Georgia. Over the next 60 days, 314 Action is focused on high-impact support in primaries across California, Maine, New Jersey, and beyond.
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