The 2022 Midterm elections resulted in numerous victories for PathPAC-backed candidates across the country. Two notable victories were physician candidates Dr. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08) and Dr. Rich McCormick (R-GA-06), who will add their voices to the small but growing number of physicians serving in Congress next year.

Throughout the election cycle, PathPAC worked to engage CAP members and staff with viable candidates running to represent them in Washington. This cycle, PathPAC placed a major focus on candidates with medical backgrounds, recognizing that physicians bring an important perspective to some of the most crucial health care policy decisions taken up on Capitol Hill.

PathPAC was pleased to see both Drs. Caraveo and McCormick are committed to working on bipartisan solutions to address the nation’s pressing health care challenges. Each candidate also sought early input and support from the medical specialty groups and connected with local pathologists to hear about the top issues impacting patients and the pathology profession.

Cultivating these early relationships with candidates further strengthens the CAP’s advocacy impact and creates more opportunities to build on the engagement between CAP members and their lawmakers.

Yadira Caraveo is a pediatrician and native Coloradan born to Mexican immigrants. Prior to seeking federal office, she served two terms in the Colorado House of Representatives, where she led on legislation that would lower prescription drug prices, increase preschool funding, and address the impact of climate change on low-income communities in the state. Colorado’s newly drawn 8 Congressional District was added to the map following the 2020 Census, and Dr. Caraveo defeated her opponent by fewer than 2,000 votes. Dr. Caraveo will also make history as the first Latina elected to represent Colorado in Congress.

Rich McCormick is a former Marine helicopter pilot and an emergency room physician. During his Navy service, Dr. McCormick led the Navy's Emergency Medicine Department in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and earned the rank of commander. Dr. McCormick has practiced emergency medicine in the Atlanta metropolitan area at Northside Hospital and at the Gwinnett Medical Center, where he continued working up until his victory in Georgia’s Republican primary this past summer. During his campaign, Dr. McCormick placed health care at the center of his policy platform, along with fiscal policy and national security issues.