April 10, 2026
(Philadelphia, PA) — Today, the Artemis II crew made their successful return back to Earth, completing their record-breaking orbit around the moon.
“Congratulations to the entire Artemis II crew and team—this mission illustrates what we accomplish when we invest in science, innovation, and our future,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, President of 314 Action. “This feat wouldn’t be possible without continued funding to our scientific programs and agencies. But, if Trump gets his way, he will leave a mutli-billion-dollar hole in research budgets, thousands of grants will remain frozen, progress will come to a screeching halt.”
Last year, 314 Action launched “Science is Our Superpower,” a digital ad targeting swing districts across the country to hold Trump’s dangerous anti-science administration accountable.
Naughton continued, “‘The core ethos of NASA is ‘for the benefit of all.’ It’s a phrase that has guided American scientists for decades and one that continues to inspire future generations. When scientists are elected to office, they use their expertise to govern for the benefit of all. 314 Action will continue to invest in our STEM leaders and help get them elected to offices up and down the ballot.”
Over the past decade, 314 Action has elected 500+ Democratic scientists nationwide and proudly supports candidates with a background in space research, science and leadership, including Senator Mark Kelly (AZ-SEN), U.S. Representative George Whitesides (CA-27) and Bale Dalton (candidate for FL-07).
Senator Mark Kelly (AZ-SEN)
Senator Mark Kelly is an engineer and NASA astronaut. A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate school, Mark is also a retired naval aviator and was deployed during the Gulf War and in Operation Desert Storm.
Senator Mark Kelly was 314 Action’s first endorsement of the 2020 cycle, playing a crucial role in helping elect him to his first term. When Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for President, 314 Action led the charge and endorsed him to join the ticket as Harris’ Vice President.
Senator Kelly was a key sponsor in the Building Chips in America Act. He currently sits on five committees, focused on keeping our nation safe and promoting innovation.
Representative George Whitesides (CA-27)
Before his election to Congress, Representative Whiteside led NASA to new heights as Chief of Staff, created hundreds of quality jobs in the Antelope Valley as CEO of Virgin Galactic, and supported front-line responders and public health through his work on the wildfire crisis. George worked on President Obama’s transition team in 2008, and then served as Chief of Staff for NASA for the Obama administration. George was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the agency’s highest honor. George led the reform of NASA to enable current U.S. space leadership.
314 Action was paramount in recruiting Representative Whitesides to run for California’s 27th Congressional District, flipping one of the most competitive House districts in 2024.
Bale Dalton (FL-07)
Bale Dalton is a Navy Captain with over 23 years of public service. He flew special operations missions in Iraq and Africa, provided combat air support with Navy SEALs in Afghanistan, and later served as Chief of Staff at NASA, managing 16,000 civil servants across 14 different facilities throughout the country.
He’s running a competitive race in an R+5 district against incumbent Rep. Cory Mills, who is currently under multiple House Ethics investigations and had a restraining order issued against him by a Florida judge. Dalton outraised Rep. Mills more than 5-to-1 in Q4 of 2025, reporting nearly $364,000 by the end of the year.
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314 Action is the only national organization working to elect scientists across all levels of government—from the Senate down to local school boards. The organization is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people supporting scientists, doctors, and STEM professionals who will use science and facts to address our most pressing issues like climate change and health care