Ampac

AMPAC Election Report

2010 Elections
This election cycle was unique for AMPAC political activities given the contentious debate over health system reform and Congress’ continued inability to find a long-term solution to the physician Medicare payment problem. Despite these challenges, AMPAC played an influential in role federal election campaigns. Of the candidates AMPAC supported in the U.S. House, 90 percent won and in the U.S. Senate races, 96 percent won. Working with state medical society PACs, AMPAC contributed more than $2.4 million to physician-friendly candidates for the U.S. House and Senate from both political parties.

During the 2010 election cycle, AMPAC raised $2.4 million in hard dollars for candidate contributions. This amount, combined with AMPAC’s Political Education Fund receipts of $1.1 million bringing the total raised in 2010 to more than $3.6 million. AMPAC made a strategic decision to husband resources for the critical 2012 redistricting elections to ensure a significant role by organized medicine.

United States Senate
During the 2009-2010 election cycle there were 38 contested Senate seats including special elections in Massachusetts, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, New York and West Virginia. Of the seats up for re-election, 20 were held by Democrats and 18 by Republicans who started the cycle with a major victory in January 2009 when Republican Scott Brown won the Massachusetts special election for the open U.S. Senate seat. Republicans went on to gain seven seats. The 112th Senate will include 47 Republicans, 51 Democrats and two Independents who caucus with the Democrats.

House of Representatives
Following two Democratic wave elections in 2006 and 2008, a political tsunami arrived in 2010 with Republicans winning 63 seats to retake the majority in the House of Representatives. The Republican victory was the biggest gain for a party in a midterm election since 1938, when Democrats lost 71 seats. The new House of Representatives will have 242 Republicans and 193 Democrats.

AMPAC Political Education Programs
2010 was a watershed election for physician candidates, with more than 80 physicians running for federal office during the cycle. Of the physicians who ran, 20 were elected to Congress and 9 attended AMPAC’s Political Education Programs.

The 2010 Candidate Workshop and Campaign School programs saw more than 60 physicians, residents, medical students and physician family members learn what it takes to run for office or how to become more involved in political campaigns.

AMPAC’s Campaign School is an intensive hands-on seminar that trains participants as campaign experts. Both programs are held in the Washington area. Enrollment is open to AMA members, spouses and immediate family members, and Federation staff. AMPAC covers lodging, meals, tuition and course materials and is a significant benefit to AMA members. For more information, visit AMPAC’s political education page.

Physician Candidates
AMPAC sent partisan communication mailings during the 2010 election cycle in the form of a fundraising solicitation on behalf of Andy Harris, MD, a Republican candidate from Maryland and Ami Bera, MD, a Democratic candidate from California. AMPAC worked closely with the state medical societies in developing these mailings.

Issue Advocacy
In the crucial weeks leading up to the 2010 elections with another massive cut for physician Medicare payments looming, AMPAC went over the heads of the politicians by appealing directly to their bosses—the voters. AMPAC sent more than 1 million pieces of mail to seniors in states and congressional districts generating more than 900,000 phone calls to Capitol Hill offices of key Senators and Representatives. Congress received the message loud and clear and the cut was averted after the election.

See one of AMPAC’s issue advocacy mailings.

2012 Elections Preview
The 2012 election cycle will be highly competitive with President Obama up for re-election. Not only will he face fierce competition from the Republican nominee, but he will also need to unify his party after historic losses in 2010.

The U.S. Senate majority will be up for grabs in 2012 with 23 Democrats up for re-election and 10 Republicans. Several retirements are anticipated among this class of senators. Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) was the first to announce her retirement in mid-January 2011, followed soon after by Democrat Senator Kent Conrad (ND) and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman (CT).

The U.S. House of Representatives will be redistricted following the 2010 census. States that will lose a congressional seat include: Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. New York and Ohio will each lose two congressional districts. States losing seats could potentially see incumbents facing off against each other after districts are redrawn. Several southern and western states will gain one seat including: Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington. Florida will gain two congressional seats and Texas will gain four.