ASAPAC Elections Analysis

On November 4, the 2014 Midterm Elections allowed voters to cast ballots in several federal and state elections. ASAPAC has been monitoring these results and continues to watch several races that have not yet been determined. Below are some highlights, which will be updated as more election information becomes available:

HOUSE AND SENATE MAKEUP

Now in control of both chambers, Republicans regained a majority of the Senate with at least 52 seats.  Republicans picked up four seats previously held by Democrats in Colorado, North Carolina, Arkansas and Iowa, while also gaining several expected seats in West Virginia, Montana and South Dakota.  Republicans were also able to hold vulnerable seats in Kentucky, Kansas and Georgia.  Currently, both Virginia and Alaska remain too close to call, and Louisiana will be decided in a December 6 run-off.  Of the races called, ASAPAC has a current success rate of 94%.  ASAPAC-supported candidate Republican Monica Wheby, M.D., lost her bid for Oregon Senator.

ASAPAC supported many of the successful Senate candidates last night including:

• Senator-Elect Tom Cotton (R-AR-04)
• Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS)
• Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
• Senator Ed Markey (D-MA)
• Senator-Elect Ben Sasse (R-NE)
• Senator Tom Udall (D-NM)
• Senator-Elect Thom Tillis (R-NC)
• Senator-Elect James Lankford (R-OK)
• Senator Tim Scott (R-SC)
• Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
• Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
• Senator-Elect Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV)
• Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY)

ASAPAC is also supporting Congressman Bill Cassidy, M.D, in his run for the Louisiana Senate seat. 

In the House of Representatives, Republicans further increased their majority, and now have at least 243 seats, an increase from the 234 they held in the 113^th Congress. There is a preliminary 94% win rate for ASAPAC-supported candidates, with six races yet to be determined.

CONGRESSMAN ANDY HARRIS

ASA member and the first physician anesthesiologist elected to Congress, Representative Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD-01), won his election with 70% of the vote.  Congressman Harris has been a member of ASA and received ASAPAC support.

OTHER PHYSICIANS IN CONGRESS

In the 113th Congress, there were 20 physicians serving in Congress. While the full results are still being tabulated, at least 14 of these lawmakers will be returning in January. 

ASAPAC was proud to support several successful physicians running for Congress, including:

• Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD-01)
• Congressman Jim McDermott, M.D. (D-WA-07)
• Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D (D-CA-36)
• Congressman Joe Heck, D.O. (R-NV-03)
• Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX-26)
• Congressman Dan Benishek, M.D. (R-MI-01)
• Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN-08)
• Congressman Charles Boustany, M.D. (R-LA-03)
•  Congressman John Fleming, M.D. (R-LA-04)
• Congressman Tom Price, M.D. (R-GA-06)

PHYSICIAN ANESTHESIOLOGIST ELECTED TO STATE OFFICE

Election Day was also an especially important day for several ASA members who took advocacy one step further and ran for state office. The following ASA members ran for state office in the general election:

• ASA Member Timothy Melson, M.D., defeated his Democratic opponent Mike Curtis for Alabama State Senate District 1, which includes parts of Limestone, Lauderdale, and Madison counties. Dr. Melson is the first physician anesthesiologist elected to the Alabama State Senate.  ASAPAC supported Dr. Melson.

• ASA Member and Past President of the Maryland Society of Anesthesiologists, Tim Robinson, M.D., ran against incumbent Democratic opponent Jim Brochin for Maryland State Senate District 42. District 42 covers part of Baltimore County. Dr. Robinson ran a very close race but ultimately Senator Brochin won the election.   ASAPAC supported Dr. Robinson. 

• ASA Member Charles D. London, M.D., contended for a seat in New Hampshire’s State House of Representatives District 19. His opponents were Republican incumbent Patrick Abrami, Everett Lamm (D), and Joanne Ward (R). The results of this election are not yet available. 

• ASA Member Ervin Yen, M.D., defeated his Democratic opponent John Handy Edwards for Oklahoma’s District 40 Senate seat, which covers Oklahoma City. Dr. Yen is the first physician anesthesiologist elected to the Oklahoma State Senate.

• ASA Member Bryan Terry, M.D., defeated his Democratic opponent, Bill Campbell for District 48 of Tennessee’s House of Representatives, which covers part of Rutherford County. This makes Dr. Terry Tennessee’s second physician anesthesiologist lawmaker, joining Steve Dickerson, M.D., former president of the Tennessee Society of Anesthesiologists, who was elected to the Tennessee Senate in 2012. Dr. Dickerson serves Tennessee's 20th District.

• Former President of ASA, John Zerwas, M.D., was successful in his campaign to return for a fifth term as state representative for the 28th District of Texas. Dr. Zerwas (R) ran unopposed in the general election.  ASAPAC supported Dr. Zerwas.

• ASA Member Bill Roberts, M.D., was in a tight five-way race for Vermont’s two Franklin County State Senate seats. Dr. Roberts faced off against Republican incumbent Norm McAllister, former State House member Dustin Degree (R), former State Senator Sara Kittell (D), and Michael Malone (I). Unfortunately, Dr. Roberts was not successful.

Please note, as a Federal PAC, ASAPAC may only support candidates in states that make specific provision for candidates to accept Federal PAC contributions. 

CALIFORNIA MALPRACTICE PROPOSITION

In California, voters rejected Proposition 46, which would have gutted the state’s highly-effective Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) and raised the cap on non-economic damages from $250,000 to $1 million.  ASAPAC was closely monitoring this proposition, and partnered with the California Society of Anesthesiologists to provide financial support for the “No on 46” campaign to defeat the proposition.