August 7, 2025
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — Earlier this week, 314 Action announced the expansion of the Guardians of Public Health campaign with Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) joining on as a new National Co-Chair. Building upon the energy and response from doctors, 314 Action broadened the initiative, encouraging nurses, health care professionals, and public health experts to join the movement and run for office.
“Health care will be the defining issue of the 2026 midterm and the stakes couldn’t be higher,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, President of 314 Action. “That’s why we are mobilizing a national, pro-science movement to elect experts who will fight for truth, protect health care and build a system that works for everyone—not just the powerful and those who can afford it.”
Modern Healthcare: Democrats recruit doctors for Congress after GOP health cuts
Key points:
- A political action committee affiliated with Democrats is seizing on anger about the massive healthcare cuts President Donald Trump and the Republican Congress enacted last month to enlist health professionals as candidates.
- “This year [we’ve seen] really just an explosion of the number of physicians willing to take that step forward,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, a chemist who founded 314 Action in 2016 to recruit progressive health and science professionals for public office.
- Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which slashes Medicaid and health insurance exchange spending by $1.1 trillion and is projected to leave 10 million people uninsured over 10 years, turbocharged interest among health professionals, Naughton said.
- Dr. Tina Shah (D) announced her campaign against Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) just days before the House passed a version of the bill in May. Later that month, Minnesota state Sen. Dr. Matt Klein (D) launched a bid to succeed Rep. Angie Craig (D), who is running for Senate.
- In the weeks immediately following Trump signing the tax law, 314 Action trumpeted the Democratic candidacies of California Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains against Rep. David Valadao (R); Dr. Dave Oxman to succeed Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), who is retiring; Dr. Ada Cuellar against Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas); and physician assistant Kishla Askins to succeed Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who is retiring.
- Underwood and Hawaii Gov. Dr. Josh Green (D) co-chair 314 Action’s “Guardians of Public Health” initiative to recruit medical professionals and have already spoken with more than 125 potential candidates, most of whom are physicians, Naughton said.
- 314 Action has formally endorsed Andrews and Klein along with more than 100 candidates with health and science backgrounds for local, state and federal offices.
- The “One Big Beautiful Bill” and its healthcare provisions in particular have little popular support.
- Naughton argued Democrats are on the right track with doctors, noting three were elected in 2024, which was a tough year for the party. Rep. Dr. Herb Conaway Jr. (D-N.J.) comfortably defeated Dr. Rajesh Mohan (R) for a seat vacated by Sen. Andrew Kim (D), Rep. Dr. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) bested Republican Joanna Harbour for an open seat in a heavily Democratic district, and Rep. Dr. Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.) handily beat Republican Tad Jude to succeed Rep. Dean Phillips (D).
- These newly minted Democratic physician-legislators enabled the party to create the Congressional Doctors Caucus in May as a counterweight to the 16-year-old GOP Doctors Caucus.
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