Stand Up for Science backs 11 more pro-science congressional candidates

Stand Up for Science added endorsements for 11 congressional candidates in battleground races ahead of the 2026 midterms, aiming to help elect lawmakers who will defend public health, research and evidence-based policymaking. The group says the candidates could help replace anti-science members of Congress in 2027.

Why it matters: - Stand Up for Science is trying to shape the next Congress by backing candidates it says will protect science, public health and democratic institutions. - The endorsements target districts where anti-science Republican incumbents or allies are in play, making the races potentially consequential for federal science policy. - The group frames the stakes as whether Congress continues what it calls attacks on science and democracy or moves toward evidence-based policymaking.

What happened: - Stand Up for Science announced 11 new congressional endorsements on Oct. 23, 2026, less than two weeks before the midterm elections. - The endorsed candidates are Raymond Smith Jr. in North Carolina’s 3rd District, Katy Padilla Stout in Texas’ 23rd District, Teresa Benitez-Thompson in Nevada’s 2nd District, Chris Jones in Arkansas’ 2nd District, Zach Dembo in Kentucky’s 6th District, Jonathan Nez in Arizona’s 2nd District, Nancy Lacore in South Carolina’s 1st District, Mitchell Berman in Wisconsin’s 1st District, Eileen Laubacher in Colorado’s 4th District, Jessica Killin in Colorado’s 5th District and Leticia Gutierrez in Texas’ 9th District. - The candidates include educators, scientists, healthcare workers, veterans and community leaders. - The group said the endorsements recognize commitments to protecting public health and research, defending evidence-based policymaking and increasing government accountability.

The details: - Raymond Smith Jr. is an educator, Army combat veteran and two-term legislator. - Katy Padilla Stout is a teacher and foster care system attorney. - Teresa Benitez-Thompson is a social worker and former state legislator. - Chris Jones is a rocket scientist and minister. - Zach Dembo is a former federal civil rights prosecutor. - Jonathan Nez is a former Navajo Nation president. - Nancy Lacore is a three-star admiral and 35-year Navy veteran. - Mitchell Berman is a registered nurse and union champion. - Eileen Laubacher is a rear admiral and 34-year Navy veteran. - Jessica Killin is an Army veteran, business leader and public servant. - Leticia Gutierrez is a former fraud analyst and community leader. - Stand Up for Science says an endorsement signals a candidate will protect scientific freedom and integrity and keep political and ideological influence out of the scientific process. - Dr. Colette Delawalla, founder and CEO of Stand Up for Science, said the organization supports candidates committed to evidence-based policymaking and wants lawmakers who will challenge Trump loyalists and hold enablers and bad actors accountable. - Vincent Vertuccio, a spokesperson for Stand Up for Science, said the races are crucial to stopping what the group calls the war on science and building a pro-science majority in the next Congress. - Stand Up for Science says endorsements follow a careful vetting process. - The group previously announced another slate of congressional endorsements earlier in October. - All endorsed candidates are listed on the Science Victory Fund website. - Delawalla and Vertuccio are available for comment and media appearances.

Between the lines: - The endorsement list combines scientific, military, legal and community backgrounds, suggesting Stand Up for Science is aiming for a broad anti-Trump coalition rather than a narrow ideological profile. - The message is as much about institutional trust as it is about science policy, with the group linking research, public health and democratic accountability. - The organization is using the final stretch before Election Day to make its endorsements part of the broader campaign narrative in competitive districts.

What's next: - The endorsed candidates will continue campaigning in their districts through Election Day. - Stand Up for Science is positioning these races as part of its effort to create a pro-science majority in the next Congress. - The group says more information on endorsed candidates is available through the Science Victory Fund website.

The bottom line: - Stand Up for Science is betting that science policy can be a winning campaign issue in 2026, and it is spending the last stretch before the midterms to make that case in key House races.