When Americans vote on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, nurses will be on the ballot as well as voting. A Becker’s Hospital Review count found 16 nurses among at least 58 clinicians running for Congress or governor. The Oncology Nursing Society puts the number of nurse candidates on the midterm ballot at at least 18.
Races to watch
- Jen Kiggans, MSN, RN (Republican, Virginia): the incumbent faces Elaine Luria in a rematch rated a toss-up.
- Mitchell Berman, RN (Democrat, Wisconsin): a US House race rated Lean Republican.
- Kristina Knickerbocker, NP (Democrat, Ohio): a US House race rated Lean Republican.
By Becker’s count, nurse candidates lean Democratic, 10 to 3.
Nursing issues on the line
- Workforce funding: the President’s FY2027 budget proposes cutting most Title VIII nursing workforce programmes, which fund scholarships such as NURSE Corps and faculty loans.
- Student loans: Grad PLUS has ended for new graduate nursing students.
- Safe staffing and workplace violence, with strikes from Boston to Michigan.
The Oncology Nursing Society’s election centre lets voters look up the candidates on their ballot. Whoever you support, nurses are the largest group of health professionals in the US, so their votes matter.
Sources: Becker’s Hospital Review; Oncology Nursing Society Voice (October 2026); AACN Policy Watch (April 2026).