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Mixed Bag for Clinicians Vying for House Seats

— Some races still too close to call

MedpageToday
A photo of the Capitol building in Washington, DC.

The presidential election was not the only race on Tuesday -- the seats for all 435 members of the House were also up for grabs. See below how some of the healthcare-affiliated non-incumbent candidates fared, according to results from the Associated Press. Links to 鶹ý interviews with the candidates are included where applicable.

Arizona District 1: This race remained too close to call at press time. With 60% of the votes counted, Republican incumbent David Schweikert was leading (D), an emergency physician and former state legislator, by a vote of 51% to 49%.

Kansas District 3: Oncologist (R), lost to incumbent Rep. Sharice Davids (D) by a margin of 53% to 43%.

Minnesota District 3: Kelly Morrison, MD (D), an ob/gyn and state senator in suburban Minneapolis, won her race, defeating district court judge Tad Jude (R) by a margin of 58% to 41%.

Missouri District 3: Bob Onder, MD, JD (R), an allergist and a lawyer, beat his opponent, technology specialist Bethany Mann (D), by a margin of 61% to 35%.

New Jersey District 3: In this doctor-versus-doctor contest, primary care physician and lawyer Herb Conaway, MD, JD (D), defeated cardiologist Rajesh Mohan, MD (R), by a margin of 53% to 45%.

Oregon District 3: Pulmonologist Maxine Dexter, MD (D), beat Joanna Harbour (R), a lawyer, by a margin of 69% to 25%.

South Carolina District 3: Sheri Biggs, NP (R), a family and mental health nurse practitioner, handily defeated her opponent, paint store manager Bryon Best (D), by a margin of 72% to 25%.

Texas District 34: In this hotly contested, yet-to-be-decided race, Mayra Flores (R), a respiratory therapist and former House member, is slightly behind Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D), a lawyer, by a margin of 51% to 49%.

Utah District 3: Mike Kennedy, MD, JD (R), a family physician, attorney, and state senator, defeated Glenn Wright (D), a security consultant, by a vote of 65% to 35%.

Wisconsin District 8: Ob/gyn (D), who now commutes from her home in Wisconsin to practice in rural Minnesota, lost to Tony Wied (R), a former owner of a gas-and-convenience-store chain, by a margin of 57% to 43%.

None of the physicians now serving in the Senate -- Rand Paul, MD (R-Ky.), John Barrasso, MD (R-Wyo.), Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), and Roger Marshall, MD (R-Kansas) -- were up for reelection this year.

Several House members who are physicians, including Ami Bera, MD (D-Calif.), Scott DesJarlais, MD (R-Tenn.), Neal Dunn, MD (R-Fla.), Ronny Jackson, MD (R-Texas), Andy Harris, MD (R-Md.), and Greg Murphy, MD (R-S.C.), were all reelected, as were Buddy Carter, BSPharm (R-Ga.), a pharmacist, and Lauren Underwood, RN (D-Ill.), a nurse. Rep. Kim Schrier, MD (D-Wash.) is currently leading in her reelection bid with 65% of the votes counted.

The House is also losing several physician members, including Mike Burgess, MD (R-Texas), and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-Ind.). Rep. Brad Wenstrup, DPM (R-Ohio), a podiatrist, is also stepping down, as is Drew Ferguson, DMD (R-Ga.), a dentist.

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    Joyce Frieden oversees 鶹ý’s Washington coverage, including stories about Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, healthcare trade associations, and federal agencies. She has 35 years of experience covering health policy.