Democratic doctors on the ballot amid health policy changes

Democratic doctors are standing for Congress and state office in the 3 November 2026 US midterm elections, putting their medical experience at the centre of campaigns about healthcare costs and access. Candidates include paediatrician Annie Andrews in South Carolina, emergency physician Amish Shah in Arizona, paediatrician Richard Pan in California and former Ohio health director Amy Acton. Their races come amid disputes over changes to federal health policy, including a 2025 law projected to reduce Medicaid spending by roughly $1 trillion over a decade.

The candidates do not share a single prescription for the healthcare system: some support a single-payer approach, while others favour different ways to widen access or lower costs. Democrats argue that Medicaid changes could leave patients and providers under greater strain; Republicans say the law targets waste and includes support for rural care. Physicians from both parties are on the ballot, and the results could affect who helps shape federal health policy in the next Congress. As voting takes place, the candidates' medical backgrounds offer voters a way to assess their claims, but provide no guarantee of electoral success.