# Doctors and Scientists Win Midterms > Health experts and scientists secure key congressional seats in 2026 midterms. - Title: Doctors and Scientists Win Midterms · TIME | Shortify - Summary: Health experts and scientists secure key congressional seats in 2026 midterms. Healthcare professionals including pediatricians, microbiologists, and… - Keywords: midterm elections, healthcare professionals, congressional seats, pediatrician, microbiologist, mathematician, south carolina senator, michigan senator, georgia congress, ohio governor, medical policy, vaccines - Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/11/04/doctors-scientists-won-2026-midterm-elections - Author: Angela Haupt - Published: 2026-11-04T21:05:52+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: midterm elections, healthcare professionals, congressional seats, pediatrician, microbiologist, mathematician, south carolina senator, michigan senator, georgia congress, ohio governor, medical policy, vaccines ## Midterm Winners Include Doctors Democratic victors in the midterm elections included people who have spent their careers treating patients, studying viruses, and solving equations. ## Healthcare Background Matters Erik Polyak, executive director of 314 Action, says doctors connect with voters directly without party questions. > You go into the ER and your doctor doesn’t ask what party you are ## Policy Skills Over Credentials Brian Castrucci, an epidemiologist, cautions that health credentials alone don’t guarantee good policy. > Congress needs people who know how to weigh evidence, ask hard questions, and admit what we do not yet know ## Dr. Annie Andrews Wins Senate South Carolina’s incoming U.S. senator has researched childhood asthma and gunshot wounds. > Everyone deserves the peace of mind that if they or their child get sick, they can see a doctor without going broke ## Firearm Safety Approach Dr. Andrews’ focus on children’s safety helps discuss gun issues with strong gun-rights supporters. > By emphasizing children’s safety, she has found a way to discuss the issue with strong gun-rights supporters ## Dr. Georges Benjamin Dr. Benjamin leads the American Public Health Association and praises Andrews’ approach. > He hopes that approach can help lawmakers have an intelligent conversation about protecting children and communities from firearm violence ## Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Wins Senate Michigan’s incoming U.S. senator helped take care of a woman who hit her head and later found her sleeping on the subway. > I realized that I was a lot more interested in what happens before a patient gets to the door than what happens in the hospital ## El-Sayed’s Health Platform El-Sayed supports Medicare for All, reversing Medicaid cuts, and stronger protections against political interference. > He’s brilliant. He’s thoughtful. He’s respectful, and he follows the evidence wherever it goes ## Jasmine Clark Wins Georgia Seat Clark, a microbiologist, won Georgia’s open seat after teaching biology at Emory University. > That’s very top of mind for me ## Clark’s Research Focus Clark wants to restore scientific research funding and reverse damage from Elon Musk’s government spending changes. > That’s very top of mind for me ## Elaine Luria Returns to Congress Luria, a former Navy engineer, won Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District seat after losing in 2022. > She helped investigate the Jan. 6 attack before losing her seat to Republican Jen Kiggans in 2022 ## Luria’s Healthcare Plan Luria’s plan includes restoring Affordable Care Act subsidies and expanding prescription-drug negotiations. > She also wants to expand telehealth and help recruit doctors and nurses to rural communities ## Dr. Amy Acton Becomes Governor Acton defeated biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to become Ohio’s first elected female governor. > She led with the facts and compassion ## Acton’s Healthcare Proposals Acton’s proposals include medical-debt relief and an Ohio prescription-drug program. > She’s got the ability to talk to both sides of the political aisle ## Mitchell Berman Wins Wisconsin Seat Berman, an emergency-room nurse, defeated Republican Rep. Bryan Steil in Wisconsin’s 1st District. > I've watched patients ration medication they can't afford and families lose everything because they got sick ## Berman’s Healthcare Priorities Berman wants a public insurance option, lower prescription costs, and faster answers to prior-authorization requests. > He also wants protections against violence toward health-care workers, and for bedside nurses to help determine staffing standards ## Christina Bohannan Wins Iowa Seat Bohannan defeated Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks on her third attempt after losing by 799 votes. > We lost everything trying to save him ## Bohannan’s Healthcare Goals Bohannan wants to expand Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription prices and cap insulin at $35 a month. > She also supports expanding clean energy and lowering families’ living costs ## Daniel Biss Wins Illinois Seat Biss, a mathematician, will succeed Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Illinois’ 9th District. > A lot of people come to policymakers with information that is maybe self-interested or reflects only one point of view ## Biss’s Healthcare Focus Biss wants to reverse federal health-care cuts, expand prescription-drug negotiations, and establish Medicare for All. > Artificial intelligence is changing the world right now ## Key takeaway Healthcare professionals including pediatricians, microbiologists, and mathematicians won political seats in the 2026 midterm elections.