Doctors and other healthcare professionals are emerging as prominent Democratic candidates ahead of Tuesday's US midterm elections, with several contesting closely watched races. The American College of Gastroenterology estimates that up to 25 physicians could win congressional seats this election cycle, which would set a record. Although Republicans currently account for most doctors in Congress, experts say participation by Democratic medical professionals has grown.
Among the leading contenders are Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and former public health official competing for Michigan's open Senate seat, and Annie Andrews, a paediatrician whose South Carolina Senate campaign has made a usually secure Republican seat competitive. California paediatrician Richard Pan is also seeking a congressional seat. At least five Democratic newcomers with medical degrees are running for the next Congress. Nurse.org reports that at least 10 Democratic nurses are seeking congressional office, compared with four Republicans.
Experts and advocacy organisations attribute part of that increase to frustration with President Donald Trump, including opposition to policies they consider contrary to scientific evidence. Healthcare also remains a major concern for voters. An October 8 Pew Research Center poll placed it third among election issues, after the economy and the future of American democracy. Eighty-two percent of Democrats called healthcare very important to their vote, compared with 53 percent of Republicans.
Matt Motta, a policy expert at Boston University's School of Public Health, said divisions over health have become increasingly partisan. The issue has shaped successive midterm campaigns, including Republican opposition to the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and Democratic resistance to Trump's attempts to roll it back in 2018. This year, Democratic medical candidates are seeking to channel dissatisfaction with decisions made during Trump's second term.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has sought to narrow federal vaccine guidelines against scientific consensus and supported cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Republicans last year with Trump's backing, cut healthcare spending by more than $1 trillion. Republicans also allowed insurance subsidies to expire as part of the legislation, raising premiums for millions of Americans.
Candidates have connected those policies to health concerns in their states. Andrews has cited South Carolina's measles outbreak, with an estimated 997 cases reported between 2025 and 2026, as evidence of policy failure. El-Sayed has highlighted an increase in cyclospora, a parasite that causes diarrhoea and can spread through fresh produce. He and other Democrats blame its spread on reduced federal food inspection capacity following Trump's budget cuts.
The candidates do not agree on every proposed solution. Andrews has rejected Medicare for All, the universal public healthcare proposal, while El-Sayed strongly supports it and co-wrote a book on the subject. Affordability nevertheless features prominently across their campaigns. California Democratic Representative Ami Bera, a physician seeking re-election, argues that medical professionals bring experience with patients that can improve congressional discussions about healthcare.
Bera helped establish the Democratic Doctors PAC this year to elevate healthcare during the election campaign. Other advocacy groups are investing heavily, with 314 Action reporting nearly $30 million in midterm spending in October. Eric Feigl-Ding, the epidemiologist who founded Vax PAC, also sees opportunities beyond Congress. He highlighted former Ohio health director Amy Acton's Democratic nomination for governor and a recent Marist University poll showing her seven percentage points ahead of her Republican opponent.
