Nation’s Premier Pro-Science Political Organization Has Endorsed Sixty State Legislative and Municipal Candidates in 2022 So Far

March 16, 2022

PHILADELPHIA — Today, 314 Action Fund announced its endorsement of thirty-nine STEM candidates in state legislative and municipal races across the United States. From state senate to water district board of directors, these scientists and STEM professionals are running for office to advance evidence-based, pro-science policies in their communities. Five years on from its first candidate training on March 14, 2017 (Pi Day), 314 Action is proud to celebrate 229 victories for STEM candidates, including 198 victories for candidates at the state legislative and municipal levels. 314 Action Fund has endorsed sixty STEM candidates for state legislative and municipal offices so far for the 2022 cycle.

Among today’s endorsed candidates are Jennifer Esteen (California State Assembly District 20), a nurse and health care policy organizer who pursued her calling to help others by putting herself through nursing school as a single parent; Gwen Stoltz (Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 143), a research biochemist who has worked in novel drug discovery and for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Sen. Erin Murphy (Minnesota State Senate District 64), a registered nurse and sitting state senator who formerly served as the majority leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

“As 314 Action celebrates five years of recruiting and assisting STEM candidates, including nearly 200 victories for state legislative and municipal candidates, we are proud to endorse this incredible slate of pro-science leaders running to advance evidence-based policies,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action. “From criminal justice reform to the climate crisis, every policy challenge would be better addressed by having more scientists at the policymaking table making data-driven decisions. These candidates are running fact-first campaigns that put people above politics, and we look forward to fighting alongside them to pass more policies that are rooted in science.”

Today’s new slate of endorsements for state legislative and municipal races is as follows:

California

Georgia

Iowa

Michigan

Minnesota

Montana

New Hampshire

New York

Pennsylvania

Texas

314 Action Fund is committed to building a bench of strong STEM candidates at the statewide, state legislative, and municipal levels who may pursue higher office in the future. In 2020, 314 Action Fund committed $1 million to elect scientists running for state legislative offices across the country in a partnership with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and Democratic legislative caucuses.

On Pi Day 2022 (3/14), 314 Action launched its new statewide program to revolutionize the recruitment and training of STEM candidates for public office across the country. The program, which targets potential state legislative and municipal candidates using layered digital, mail, and SMS communications in critical legislative districts, is now active in its first phase in New Hampshire and will yield data that will contribute to the development of expanded programming in other states in future campaign cycles.

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314 Action Fund is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people working to elect scientists, doctors, and STEM professionals who will use science and facts to address our most pressing issues like climate change and health care. In 2018 and 2020, we played a pivotal role in flipping the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, electing eleven Democratic scientists to federal office, as well as in helping over 100 statewide, state legislative, and municipal candidates win their races. In 2022, 314 Action Fund will continue working to elect science leaders and defeat climate deniers in Congress and legislatures across the country.