Advocacy & Policy
Advocacy & Policy
AGA PAC Supported Candidates
A key part of AGA advocacy is political support of legislators and candidates through AGA PAC.
AGA PAC’s mission and candidate selection process
AGA PAC, AGA’s bipartisan political action committee, serves a vital role in advancing AGA’s legislative agenda and increasing gastroenterology’s visibility with Congress. Through AGA PAC, AGA members can support the election or re-election of congressional candidates who will advocate for policies that support GI professionals and access to care for patients. AGA PAC supports legislators who make decisions on issues that can impact the future of the specialty and helps build relationships with new candidates, especially physician candidates, who could be future champions of gastroenterology.
How does AGA PAC make decisions?
The AGA PAC Board of Advisors, a bipartisan panel of AGA members, carefully reviews and approves all candidate contributions. They approve the budget for candidate support and follow established, strategic guidelines to process and prioritize contributions to maximize AGA’s impact. A few key guidelines include prioritizing contributions to:
- Incumbents who can influence policies important to gastroenterology — congressional leadership and members serving on key health committees:
- Senate Finance Committee
- Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee
- Senate Appropriations Committee (with emphasis on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee)
- House Ways and Means Committee (with emphasis on Health Subcommittee)
- House Energy and Commerce Committee (with emphasis on Health Subcommittee)
- House Appropriations Committee (with emphasis on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee)
- Physician members of Congress
- Incumbents on non-health related committees who show support for our policy initiatives
- Physician candidates seeking office for the first time, especially gastroenterologists
The AGA PAC Board evaluates candidates using key criteria based on issues impacting GI clinicians and researchers and patient access to care. This includes support for our policy priorities:
- Ensuring patient access to high-quality GI care
- Easing administrative and regulatory burdens
- Protecting fair reimbursement for GI services
- Increased funding for digestive disease and cancer research
AGA PAC supported candidates
Arizona
- Amish Shah, MD (D-AZ-01)* – emergency physician
California
- Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA-06)* – internist
- Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA-36)* – emergency physician
Colorado
- Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08)* – pediatrician
Connecticut
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03)
Florida
- Rep. Neal Dunn, MD (R-FL-02)* – surgeon
- Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16)
- Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-26)
Georgia
- Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA-01)
Illinois
- Rep. Robyn Kelly (D-IL-02)
Indiana
- Tim Peck, MD (D-IN-09)* – emergency physician
- Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN-08)* – cardiothoracic surgeon
Iowa
- Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01)* – ophthalmologist
Kentucky
- Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02)
Louisiana
- Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA-2026)* – gastroenterologist
Maryland
- Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08)
Massachusetts
- Rep. Richard “Richie” Neal (D-MA-01)
- Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02)
Michigan
- Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-12)
New Jersey
- Herb Conaway, MD (D-NJ-03)* open seat – internist
- Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06)
- Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ-10)
New York
- Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY-18)
North Carolina
- Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC-03)* – urologist
Ohio
- Rep. Brad R. Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH-02)* – podiatric surgeon
Pennsylvania
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA-16)
Tennessee
- Rep. Mark Green, MD (R-TN-07)* – emergency physician
Texas
- Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX-12)
Utah
- Rep. John Curtis (R-UT-03) – Senate race
Washington
- Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01)
- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05)
- Rep. Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA-08)* – pediatrician
Wisconsin
- Kristin Lyerly, MD (D-WI-08)* open seat – pediatrician
Wyoming
- Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY-2024)* – orthopedic surgeon
National Party Committees
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
- Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)
- National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)
*Denotes physician candidates. The list is updated in real-time
Alaska
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK-2022)
California
- Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA-07) – internist
- Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18)*
- Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA-36)* – emergency physician
- Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA-46)
Connecticut
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03)
Florida
- Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16)
Georgia
- Dr. Richard McCormick (R-GA-06) – emergency physician, open seat
Illinois
- Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL-01)
- Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08)
- Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16)
Indiana
- Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN-8) – cardiothoracic surgeon
Iowa
- Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01)* – ophthalmologist
Kansas
- Sen. Jerry W. Moran (R-KS-2022)
Kentucky
- Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02)
Louisiana
- Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA-2026) – gastroenterologist
Maryland
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD-2022)
Massachusetts
- Rep. Richard “Richie” Neal (D-MA-01)
- Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02)
New Hampshire
- Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
New Jersey
- Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06)
- Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ-10)
New York
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY-10)
- Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08)
Ohio
- Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) – open seat Senate race
- Rep. Brad R. Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH-02) – podiatric surgeon
Oregon
- Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR-2022)
South Carolina
- Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC-2022)
South Dakota
- Sen. John Thune (R-SD-2022)
Utah
- Rep. John Curtis (R-UT-03)
Washington
- Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01)
- Rep. Jaime Lynn Herrera Beutler (R-WA-03)
- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05)
- Rep. Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA-08) – pediatrician
*The district this candidate is running in is changing due to redistricting; click here to see the most up-to-date map.
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