314 Action Fund Adds 15 New Races and Expands 2026 Map to 43 Targets  

To: Interested Parties
From: 314 Action Executive Director, Erik Polyak
Date: December 17, 2025
RE: 314 Action Fund Adds 15 New Races and Expands 2026 Map to 43 Targets  


Expanded Battlefield: 314 Action’s New Targets for 2026

314 Action Fund, the nation’s only organization working to recruit, train and elect doctors and scientists is expanding its battlefield, adding 15 new races to its target list for 2026. On Pi Day earlier this year, 314 Action Fund announced 28 House targets for 2026, identifying vulnerable Republicans on the map who continue to ignore science and side with RFK Jr. 

Overall, 314 Action Fund will target 43 pickup opportunities, they include: AK-AL, AR-02, CO-04, FL-07, FL-15, FL-21, IA-02, KS-02, ME-02, MN-01, NC-11, NJ-02, TX-09, VA-05 and VA-06. 314 Action Fund is pledging $5 million towards the expansion and has already fielded candidates in half of the districts on the expanded battleground map, with plans to continue to aggressively recruit pro-science candidates in Q1 2026. 

The expanded map builds off enthusiasm following Democratic victories and overperformances in recent special elections, and represents a growing field of candidates in 314 Action Fund’s pipeline. Right now, 314 Action Fund is already working with nearly 100 campaigns launched for 2026 (55 federal/statewide and 40 downballot) to combat the Trump administration’s attacks on health care and science – that’s nearly double the number of campaigns typically launched at this early stage in the cycle. Last quarter, Democratic scientists and doctors collectively raised over $10 million in Q3, outraising entrenched incumbents and entering the final quarter of the year in a strong position. 

Swing Voters Turn to Pro-Science Candidates 

Virginia & New Jersey
In November, 314 Action Fund successfully elected over 100 STEM leaders to office, flipping key seats and securing historic victories across the country: 

In Virginia, 314 Action Fund helped elect Dr. Mark Downey to the 69th House District—flipping a Trump district for the first time in a decade. Once sworn in, he will become the only doctor in the entire Virginia State Legislature. 
In New Jersey, Dr. Marisa Sweeney flipped the 25th Assembly District winning by just 664 votes, becoming the first Democrat to hold this Assembly seat since 1977. 

Florida & Georgia 
In recent special elections in Florida and Georgia, 314 Action Fund-endorsed candidates Rob Long (FL-HD-90) and Eric Gisler (GA-HD-121) won their races in traditional Republican strongholds, signaling that voters increasingly trust STEM professionals and doctors to lead and win. 

There are few seats in the country more conservative than these two–proof that if Democrats want to win tough races, and take advantage of voter disapproval with RFK Jr., then we need more scientists, doctors, engineers, nurses, and teachers running. 

Doctors and Scientists Are Most Trusted Candidates

Recent research and polling shows that scientific and medical professionals have some of the highest approval ratings and levels of trust among voters, particularly independent and swing voters. On the issue of health care, this trend is even more apparent. 314 Action Fund candidates are the most trusted, especially when it comes to health care, and are currently frontrunners in key races in Ohio and Maine. 

If this trend continues, the midterms will be decided by a pro-science swing as more voters turn to doctors, scientists and public health experts. As the fight over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) continues and with premiums set to rise on January 1, 2026 – 314 Action Fund candidates with a scientific or medical background are poised to make gains in key battleground districts in 2026. 

About 314 Action 

314 Action Fund has supported over 1,500 Democratic scientists and elected over 500+ STEM candidates to all levels of government. Over the past decade, 314 Action Fund has raised and spent over $70 million to help STEM candidates win competitive primaries and flip seats from red to blue. In 2026, 314 Action Fund is committed to raising $25 million and identifying races where our investments can make the most impact. 

Earlier this year, 314 Action launched the Guardians of Public Health initiative, a $25 million commitment to elect 100 new doctors, nurses and healthcare leaders to state legislatures and Congress by 2030. It’s the first time the organization has focused recruitment efforts on doctors and healthcare professionals. Since its launch, 314 Action has received a record number of applications to run for office. 

2024 was 314 Action Fund’s most successful election year on record — helping to elect or re-elect 248 Democratic scientists across the country, including electing 7 new STEM members to Congress. 314 Action Fund’s investments helped flip three districts from red to blue in NY-22, OR-5, and CA-27, elected four new Democratic doctors and scientists in OR-3, NJ-3, CA-29, and MN-3, re-elected three U.S. Senators, and secured victories in 225 state and local races. 

Bottom Line: As recent polling, fundraising and election results show, doctors, scientists and medical professionals bring a unique advantage to the battlefield as trusted leaders—driving 314 Action Fund’s expansion in 2026. With a record number of candidates running and more in the pipeline, 314 Action Fund’s expanded map reflects a surge in pro-science candidates running in response to the administration’s attacks on science and health care, who are ready to reshape the map in 2026.