314 Action is the nation’s only group working to recruit, train and elect Democratic scientists and in this election, we elected a wave of Democratic doctors, scientists, nurses, engineers, mathematicians, researchers and public health experts nationwide—because 2026 was a healthcare election.
With record Democratic enthusiasm, a unique trust advantage and 314 Action Fund’s historic $30 million investment in STEM candidates this cycle, we flipped 10 out of 42 seats in the House—nearly one-quarter of the total seats flipped—to secure the largest Democratic majority in almost two decades. In the Senate, we elected the first pair of Democratic doctors in 60 years and expanded the battleground for 2028 and beyond.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- We flipped 10 out of 42 seats in the House—and counting. 314 Action Fund-backed candidates flipped 10 seats to win the Democratic majority in Congress and added four new members to represent safe Democratic districts, increasing our pro-science delegation in the House from 21 to 35.
- We elected the first Democratic doctors to the Senate in 60 years. Senator-elect Dr. Abul El-Sayed and Senator-elect Dr. Annie Andrews made history as the first Democratic doctor elected to the Senate since 1969.
- We proved doctors beat billionaires. In Ohio, physician and former health director Dr. Amy Acton made history as the first woman elected Governor of Ohio, defeating self-funded billionaire bully Vivek Ramaswamy.
- We expanded the battleground. Our early investments shored up competitive Democratic seats and made overlooked Republican-held districts competitive.
- We defeated MAHA. While top MAHA officials have been busy infighting—we outworked and outspent MAHA Action by 30-to-1 and elected 16 Democratic scientists and doctors in Washington to combat RFK Jr.’s war on science and facts.
- We are shaping the map for 2028. We expanded the map by electing Democratic scientists in tossup districts Trump won in 2024.
MAHA ACTION VS. 314 ACTION: VOTERS REJECT MAHA
MAHA Action founder Tony Lyons called the midterms “existential” for them and on Tuesday, voters decisively elected the largest wave of Democratic scientists and doctors ever and rejected MAHA. While RFK Jr. and his acolytes chased headlines, 314 Action elected 16 Democratic scientists and doctors to help build a pro-science majority in Congress and push back on Trump and RFK Jr.’s war on science.
314 Action Fund outraised and outspent MAHA Action by nearly 30-to-1, investing more than $30 million across competitive races for House and Senate—dwarfing MAHA Action’s $250,000 investment across six congressional races, far less than their $100 million pledge. It appears MAHA leaders have given up on influencing Washington following a series of betrayals by the White House, instead investing a grand total of $1.65 million on Iowa’s gubernatorial race for MAHA cheerleader Zach Lahn. It was all sizzle and no steak in the Hawkeye State. RFK Jr. dragged down vulnerable GOP candidates on his midterm blitz with his deeply unpopular and dangerous policies. According to analysis from Protect Our Care, RFK Jr. visited 30 House districts, and Republicans lost 26 of them.
This election proved what 314 Action has been saying from the beginning—RFK Jr. is a political liability for Republicans and the fractured MAHA base is no match for the widespread coalition of voters who believe in science, vaccines and healthcare.
DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS FLIP THE HOUSE
314 Action Fund invested more than $30 million across battleground races this cycle, and delivered 10 key victories to deliver a Democratic majority in the House. These victories expanded 314 Action Fund’s congressional caucus in the 120th Congress to 35 in the House.
- AZ-01 – Dr. Amish Shah (Emergency Physician): Defeated Trump-endorsed NFL kicker Jay Feely.
- CA-06 – Dr. Richard Pan (Pediatrician): Defeated Republican-turned-Independent Rep. Kevin Kiley.
- CO-08 – Manny Rutinel (Microbiologist and Environmental Attorney): Defeated one-term Republican incumbent Gabe Evans.
- IA-01 – Christina Bohannan (Engineer): Defeated Republican incumbent and doctor Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
- MN-01 – Jake Johsnon (Math Teacher): Defeated Republican incumbent Brad Finstad.
- NC-11 – Jamie Ager (Agricultural Scientist): Replaced disgraced Republican incumbent Chuck Edwards.
- NJ-07 – Rebecca Bennett (Veteran and Healthcare Executive): Defeated absent Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr.
- OH-10 – Kristina Knickerbocker (Oncology nurse practitioner): Defeated 23-year Republican incumbent Mike Turner.
- WI-01 – Mitchell Berman (ER Nurse): Defeated Republican incumbent Bryan Steil.
- VA-02 – Elaine Luria (Nuclear Engineer): Defeated Republican incumbent Jen Kiggans to make her return to Congress.
They join four newly elected 314 Action-backed members who won open Democratic seats, including:
- CA-26 – Jacqui Irwin: Systems Engineer and former California Assemblymember.
- GA-13 – Dr. Jasmine Clark, PhD: The first Black PhD scientist elected to Congress.
- IL-09 – Daniel Biss, PhD: Mathematician, former Evanston mayor, and state legislator.
- NJ-12 – Dr. Adam Hamawy: Physician and surgeon.
314 ACTION’S MIDTERM STRATEGY
Over the past decade, 314 Action Fund has developed a proven formula for recruiting, training, and electing Democratic scientists:
- Early investment: We identify strong STEM candidates before primaries are settled, help build professional campaign operations, and invest early to establish their competitiveness and shape the field.
- Winning primaries: The kind of Democrats who serve in Congress is determined in primaries. With Trump and RFK Jr. waging war on science, 314 Action Fund invested $14.5 million behind doctors, scientists, and healthcare professionals in Democratic primaries—its largest primary investment in the organization’s 10-year history. This investment was part of our overall $30 million-plus commitment this cycle.
- Joint fundraising: In races like GA-13 and CA-06, we used Joint Fundraising Committees to pool resources with grassroots and allied donors and campaigns, moving money quickly to candidates when it mattered most.
BOTTOM LINE: 2026 proved our electability thesis: doctors and scientists are among the most trusted and electable candidates on the ballot. While Republicans recorded historic losses on Tuesday and will be nursing their bruised egos in early retirement, they were right about one thing: this election was about “Common Sense vs. Crazy”—the new GOP “mantra”. Americans are looking for no-nonsense, results-oriented, data-driven leaders who look at the facts before making decisions—and they are done with the unhinged, chaotic, outrage-driven politics that have come to define Trump’s Republican Party.
314 Action Fund’s candidates made history on Tuesday, and they represent the future of the Democratic Party: the healers, helpers, and truth-tellers America needs.