November 3, 2021

PHILADELPHIA — Today, 314 Action Fund congratulated three pro-science policy leaders in Virginia for winning their state legislative elections. During the next legislative session, these three incumbent STEM trailblazers will return to the policymaking table to fight for evidence-based policies.

“314 Action and its network of more than six million pro-science advocates congratulates all of our endorsed STEM leaders who won across the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action. “Virginians can rest assured that these candidates and incumbents will put facts first when crafting policy in Richmond 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. Sally Hudson, District 57 (Statistician)

– Dr. Dawn Adams, District 68 (Nurse Practitioner)

– Rodney Willett, District 73 (IT Professional)

314 Action Fund has years of experience in helping strong candidates with STEM backgrounds win in the commonwealth. In 2017, they helped elect Gov. Ralph Northam, a physician; State Del. Hala Ayala, who defeated a four-term incumbent Republican as a first-time candidate; and Del. Cheryl Turpin. 

Last month in Virginia and across the country, 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 like Glenn Youngkin 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.