November 4, 2021

PHILADELPHIA — Today, 314 Action Fund congratulated six pro-science policy leaders in New Jersey for winning their state legislative races — including Dr. Andrew Zwicker, who won the only red to blue seat in New Jersey or Virginia. These scientists and STEM professionals will ensure that science has a seat at the policymaking table in Trenton.

“314 Action and its network of more than six million pro-science advocates congratulate all of our endorsed STEM leaders who won across the state of New Jersey,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action. “The people of New Jersey can rest assured that these candidates and incumbents will put facts first when crafting policy in Trenton and bring an evidence-based approach to legislating on important issues including the ongoing pandemic.”

The full list of victorious science candidates endorsed by 314 Action Fund is as follows:

– Dr. Andrew Zwicker, State Senate District 16 (Physicist)

– Bob Smith, State Senate District 17 (Chemist, Environmental Scientist)

– Paul Sarlo, State Senate District 36 (Civil Engineer)

– Dr. Herbert Conaway Jr., General Assembly District 7 (Physician)

– Daniel Benson, General Assembly District 14 (Physicist)

– Mila Jasey, General Assembly District 27 (Nurse)

Last month, 314 Action launched a $10 million, cycle-long advocacy campaign focused on engaging voters on critical science issues — including climate change, health care, and the pandemic response — and holding anti-science public figures accountable. Additionally, 314 Action has engaged its six million grassroots member base to push for pro-science legislation at the federal level and across the states.

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. In 2020, the organization spent $25 million on behalf of its endorsed candidates and raised a total of $5 million in grassroots donations for scientists running for office.

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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.