Here Are the Healthcare Leaders Running in the 2018 Midterms

HealthLeaders has compiled a list of physicians, nurses, surgeons, and healthcare executives competing in numerous races during this midterm election cycle. 

Senate races:

Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., running for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson.

• Scott founded Columbia Hospital Corporation, ultimately merging with Hospital Corporation of America in 1989 to form Columbia/HCA.

• Scott resigned as CEO in 1997 over issues regarding Medicare billing practices by his organization.

State Rep. Omeria Scott, D-Miss., running for the Democratic nomination in U.S. Senate race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Thad Cochran.

• Scott works as a nursing home administrator.

Former Gov. Phil Bredesen, D-Tenn., running for the Democratic nomination in U.S. Senate race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Bob Corker.

• Bredesen founded HealthAmerica Corp., an insurance company that he sold his controlling interest in 1986.

Michelle Griffin, R-Ariz., running for the Republican nomination in U.S. Senate race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Jeff Flake.

• Griffin is a consultant who was been involved with non-discrimination in healthcare issues.

Nicholas Tutora, R-Ariz., running for the Republican nomination in U.S. Senate race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Jeff Flake.

• Tutora is a pharmacist.

Albert Olszewski, M.D., R-Mon., running for the Republican nomination in U.S. Senate race against Democratic incumbent Jon Tester.

• Olszewski is an orthopedic surgeon

• He earned his M.D. from the University of Washington Medical School in 1988.

Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-W.V., running for the Republican nomination in U.S. Senate race against Democratic incumbent Joe Manchin.

• Jenkins served as CEO of the West Virginia Medical Foundation.

• He also served as co-chairman of the Health Care Committee in the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, R-W.V., running for the Republican nomination in U.S. Senate race against Democratic incumbent Joe Manchin.

• As partner at King & Spalding, Morrisey focused the majority of his work on healthcare legislation.

• He served as both deputy staff director and chief health counsel for the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  

State Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Wisc., running for the Republican nomination in U.S. Senate race against Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin.

• Vukmir worked as a nurse.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wy., running for reelection.

• Barrasso is an orthopedic surgeon.

House races:

Cathy Myers, D-Wisc., running for Democratic nomination in race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Paul Ryan.

• Myers is a nurse.

Sue Zwahlen, RN, D-Calif., running for Democratic nomination in race against Republican incumbent Jeff Denham.

• Zwahlen served as an emergency room nurse for 40 years.

Shannon Pierce, R-S.C., running for Republican nomination in race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Trey Gowdy.

• Pierce is a nurse.

Lynne Blankenbeker, R-N.H., running for Republican nomination in race against Democratic incumbent Annie Kuster.

• Blankenbeker is a former nurse.

Mel Hall, D-Ind., running for Democratic nomination in race against Republican incumbent Jackie Walorski.

• Hall formerly served as CEO of Press Ganey, a patient satisfaction firm.

Tahir Javed, D-Texas, running for Democratic nomination in race against Democratic incumbent Jackie Walorski.

• Javed served as CEO of Riceland Healthcare Systems.

Dr. Matt Heinz, D-Ariz., running for the Democratic nomination in House race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Martha McSally.

• Heinz works as a physician at Tucson Medical Center.

• He is also a member of the American Medical Association.

Dr. Jason Westin, D-Texas, running for the Democratic nomination in House race against Republican incumbent John Abney Culberson.

• Westin is a cancer doctor.

Dr. Eric Ding, D-Penn., running for the Democratic nomination in House race against Republican incumbent Tom Marino.

• Ding is an epidemiologist.

Dr. Daniel Freilich, D-Vt., running for the Democratic nomination in House race against Democratic incumbent Pete Walsh.

• Freilich is a physician.

Lauren Underwood, RN, D-Illi., running for the Democratic nomination in House race against Republican incumbent Randy Hultgren.

• Underwood is a registered nurse.

• She also served as a senior advisor to the Department of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama.

Dr. Jeff Van Drew, D-N.J., running for the Democratic nomination in House race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo.

• Van Drew is a dentist.

Dr. Dawn Barlow, D-Tenn., running for the Democratic nomination in House race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Diane Black.

• Barlow serves as director of hospital medicine at Livingston Regional Hospital.

James Maxwell, MD, R-N.Y., running for the Republican nomination in House race to replace deceased Democratic incumbent Louise Slaughter.

• Maxwell is a neurosurgeon affiliated with Rochester General Hospital.

Dr. Steve Ferrara, R-Ariz., running for the Republican nomination in the race to replace Democratic incumbent Kyrsten Sinema.

• Ferrara is an interventional radiologist.

Dr. Shannon Hader, D-Wash., running for the Democratic nomination in the race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Dave Reichert.

• Hader is a physician.

Dr. Kathie Allen, D-Utah, running for the Democratic nomination in the race against Republican incumbent John Curtis.

• Allen is a family physician.

Dr. Matt Longjohn, D-Mich., running for the Democratic nomination in the race against Republican incumbent Fred Upton.

• Allen is a physician.

Dr. Nadia Hashimi, D-Md., running for the Democratic nomination in the race to replace Democratic incumbent John Delaney.

• Hashimi is a former pediatrician.

Dr. Kim Schrier, D-Wash., running for the Democratic nomination in the race against Republican incumbent Dave Reichert.

• Schrier is a pediatrician.

Dr. Mai Khanh Tran, D-Calif., running for the Democratic nomination in the race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Ed Royce.

• Tran is a pediatrician.

Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, running for reelection.

• Wenstrup is a physician.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., running for reelection.

• DesJarlais is a physician.

Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, running for reelection.

• Burgess is a physician.

Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., running for reelection.

• Bera served as Chief Medical Officer of Sacramento County.

Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., running for reelection.

• Dunn is a surgeon.  

Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga., running for reelection.

• Ferguson is a dentist.

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, running for reelection.

• Simpson is a dentist.

Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-In., running for reelection.

• Buchson is a heart surgeon.

Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, running for reelection.

• Marshall is an obstetrician.

Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., running for reelection.

• Harris is an anesthesiologist.

Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., running for reelection.

• Roe is an OB/GYN.

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, running for reelection.

• Johnson was the first nurse elected to Congress in 1993.

Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., running for reelection.

• Ruiz is a physician.

Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-La., running for reelection.

• Abraham is a physician.

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., running for reelection

• Moulton founded Eastern Healthcare Partners in 2011.

Gubernatorial elections:

State Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, R-Colo., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Democratic incumbent John Hickenlooper.

• Coffman worked as a researcher for children's hospitals.

State Rep. Prasad Srinivasan, M.D., R-Conn., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Democratic incumbent Dannel Malloy.

• Certified by both the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Allergy and Immunology.

Usha Jain, M.D., R-Fla., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Rick Scott.

• Professional experience working as a doctor.

Bruce Nathan, R-Fla., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Rick Scott.

• Worked as a physical therapist for the Florida Elks Children's Therapy Services before opening his own practice.

Mary Mayhew, R-Maine, running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Paul LePage.

• Mayhew was a government relations manager for the Maine Hospital Association.

• Served as commissioner of health and human services for the LePage administration from 2010 to 2017.

Dr. Jim Hines, R-Mich., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Rick Snyder.

• Hines is a physician who managed four mission hospitals and 20 urgent care facilities in the Central African Republic for four years.

• He was president of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, owner of a seven-physician medical practice, and chief of medical staff at Covenant Healthcare

Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., running for the Democratic nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Republican incumbent Susana Martinez.

• Grisham previously served as head of the state's Department of Health.

State Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Ore., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race against Democratic incumbent Kate Brown.

• Buehler works as an orthopedic surgeon at the Center for Orthopedic and Neurosurgical Care and Research.

• He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Ford Family Foundation and St. Charles Health System.

Lt. Gov Kevin Bryant, R-S.C., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race against Republican incumbent Henry McMaster.

• Bryant began working as a pharmacist in 1989.

Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Republican Bill Haslam.

• Prior to entering politics, Black worked as a nurse.

Dr. Taylor Haynes, R-Wy., running for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Republican Matt Mead.

• Haynes opened his own urology practice.

• He also served as vice chief of staff and Chairman of Patient Care at DePaul Hospital of Cheyenne.

• Haynes serves as President and Chief Medical Officer of Mountain Benefit Associates.

Cathy Glasson, RN, D-Iowa, running for the Democratic nomination in the gubernatorial race against Republican incumbent Kim Reynolds.

• Glasson is a registered nurse.

Andy McGuire, M.D., D-Iowa, running for the Democratic nomination in the gubernatorial race against Republican incumbent Kim Reynolds.

• McGuire is a health insurance executive and former physician.  

Abdul El-Sayed, M.D., D-Mich., running for the Democratic nomination in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Republican Rick Snyder.

• El-Sayed attended Columbia University Medical School, earning his medical degree and becoming a professor of public health.

• El-Sayed was hired in 2015 to manage the newly privatized Detroit Health Department, a position he held until February 2017.

Gov. Charlie Baker, R-Mass., running for reelection.

• Baker served in the state department of health and human services under two governors in the 1990s.

• He also served as CEO of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates beginning in 1998.

Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, running for reelection.

• Reynolds worked as a pharmacist assistant.

Gov. Jeff Colyer, R-Ks., running for reelection.

• Colyer is a medical physician by trade.

• He graduated from the University of Kansas Medical school in 1986 with his M.D.

This list will be updated as the election cycle continues through November. If we left someone off the list, please let us know.