June 28, 2021
PHILADELPHIA — Today, 314 Action Fund announced its endorsement of nineteen STEM leaders across the country as they run for state and local offices this year. From schoolboard to the state legislature, these science candidates are fighting to ensure that science always has a seat at the policymaking table.
“We are proud to support this slate of incredible scientists who are campaigning on facts-first visions and pushing back against the Republican Party’s war on reality,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action. “Science needs strong defenders in office at every level of government in order to make sure that we are passing legislation that truly helps all Americans, no matter their zip code or their bank balance. Evidence-based policies can be game changers for any community as long as there are bold leaders with the expertise to make them reality. These STEM champions are ready to take up the challenge and continue their fights for science.”
Today’s new slate of endorsements for state and local races is as follows (asterisk denotes incumbent):
Colorado
- Anita Seitz, Westminster Mayor (Earth Scientist)*
Florida
- Richie Floyd, St. Petersburg Town Council, District 8 (Electrical Engineer)
Massachusetts
- Dr. Jon Santiago, Boston Mayor (Physician)
- Wilfried Mbah, Somerville Mayor (Environmental Scientist)
Michigan
- David Hamilton, Troy City Council (Electrical Engineer)*
New Jersey
- Dr. Andrew Zwicker, State Senate District 16 (Physicist)
- Bob Smith, State Senate District 17 (Chemist, Environmental Scientist)*
- Paul Sarlo, State Senate District 26 (Civil Engineer)*
- Daniel Benson, General Assembly District 14 (Physicist)*
- Dr. Herbert Conaway Jr., General Assembly District 26 (Physician)*
- Mila Jasey, General Assembly District 27 (Nurse)*
New York
- Dr. James Berry, North Tonawanda Common Council, 3rd Ward Alderman (Biologist, Geneticist)
Pennsylvania
- Xander Orenstein, Allegheny County Magisterial District Court, District 05-03-10 Judge (Biological Scientist)
- Jesse Sloane, Bensalem Township Council (Nuclear Engineer)*
- Bonny Hodges, Springfield Township Board of Commissioners, 4th Ward (Nurse Practitioner)
- Neil Desnoyers, Upper Darby School Director (Statistician)
- Bryan Maher, Pennsylvania, West Pikeland Township Supervisor (Software Developer)
Virginia
- Dr. Sally Hudson, House of Delegates District 57 (Mathematician)*
- Jasmine Gore, House of Delegates District 62 (Biologist)
- Dr. Jim Andrews, Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Samuel Miller District (Physicist)
314 Action Fund is committed to building a bench of strong STEM candidates at the state and local levels who may pursue higher office in the future. In 2020, 314 Action Fund committed $1 million to elect scientists running for state legislative offices across the country in a partnership with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and Democratic legislative caucuses. In 2022, 314 Action Fund will aim to spend $50 million to elect scientists across all levels of government, with initial targets of seven U.S. Senate races, forty U.S. House races, and twenty-one statewide races.
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314 Action Fund is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people working to elect scientists, doctors, and STEM professionals who will use science and facts to address our most pressing issues like climate change and health care. In 2018 and 2020, we played a pivotal role in flipping the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, electing eleven Democratic scientists to federal office, as well as over 100 to state and local offices. In 2021 and 2022, 314 Action Fund will continue working to elect science leaders and defeat climate deniers in Congress and legislatures across the country.