Democrats with science backgrounds see $12 million boost from STEM PAC
Teh Washington Examiner reports that the 314 Action Fund, a PAC supporting scientists and doctors running for office, has invested a record $12 million in the 2026 midterm elections. This funding includes $8 million for advertising and $4 million in direct candidate support,emphasizing healthcare and science issues.Notably, candidates like Amy Acton in Ohio and Annie Andrews in south Carolina, both prioritizing health-related platforms, have received support. The PAC aims to elevate Democratic scientist candidates as counterweights to the Republican “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, which has seen success in primaries, such as helping Farmer Zach Lahn beat Trump-backed opponents in Iowa.simultaneously occurring, Democratic efforts include recruiting candidates who challenge MAHA-aligned perspectives, particularly on vaccines and healthcare. The PAC’s spending this cycle nearly matches its total expenditure for the previous election cycle. the group seeks to elect candidates who are scientists, doctors, and STEM professionals, positioning them as effective political challengers with a focus on health and science advocacy.
EXCLUSIVE — Doctors and scientists running on the Democratic ballot are getting $12 million in support this midterm election season from a PAC that aims to get STEM candidates elected to office.
314 Action Fund, a scientist-supporting PAC, announced that its $12 million investment so far in 2026 is the group’s highest investment in any election cycle to date, spending on initiatives such as digital and mail advertising projects and funneling money directly to several candidates whom the PAC supports.
Recommended Stories
“We made these investments because we believe the strongest challengers aren’t career politicians — they’re physicians treating patients, scientists solving problems, and public health experts who have spent their careers delivering solutions,” a spokesperson from 314 Action Fund said in a statement shared with the Washington Examiner.
The record-breaking fundraising announcement comes as the PAC has been elevating its national breadth this year to bring Democratic scientist candidates to the forefront as a counterweight to the Republican Party’s Make America Healthy Again movement, which has proven successful in spotlighting candidates this election cycle.
Of the $12 million 314 Action Fund has spent so far on the 2026 midterm elections, $8 million has been allocated toward media, digital, and advertising expenditures, while $4 million has been given directly to candidates such as Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Democratic Senate candidate in South Carolina Annie Andrews.
Both doctors, Acton and Andrews have prioritized healthcare and science-related platform initiatives throughout their primary campaigns. Acton has campaigned on bringing medical debt buyouts to Ohio, while Andrews has said she launched her campaign partly in response to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s rhetoric on vaccines and his response to measles.
The fund’s record $12 million in expenditures this cycle to date is nearly what it spent for the entire 2023-24 election cycle, $13.79 million, according to Open Secrets.
On the GOP side of the ballot, the MAHA movement has had resounding success in the Republican primaries. MAHA PAC helped push farmer Zach Lahn over the finish line to beat Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IO) in Iowa’s GOP gubernatorial primary. Democratic lawmakers, such as Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), have suggested the Democratic Party attempt to poach MAHA voters from the GOP electorate to the blue side of the ballot.
314 Action has worked on the Democratic side of the ballot since 2017 to recruit and train candidates who can appeal to voters with a scientific message and a focus on healthcare issues, while bashing MAHA for its views on vaccine policies. The group helped elect Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Chris Coons (D-DE) to the upper chamber.
DEMOCRAT DOCTORS RUN ANTI-MAHA CAMPAIGNS FOR MIDTERM ELECTIONS
“Our record-breaking primary investments have helped elect a new generation of Democratic doctors, scientists and STEM leaders while proving these candidates can win the toughest races on the map,” 314 Action Fund said in a statement shared with the Washington Examiner.
In addition to Acton and Andrews, the group is backing Democratic House challengers Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey, former Rep. Elaine Luria in Virginia, and Manny Rutinel, who won his primary this week to challenge Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) in Colorado.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
