Election Update:

AMPAC played a significant role in the 2007-2008 election cycle, participating in 430 federal races and spending more than $4.1 million. AMPAC’s bi-partisan efforts included direct contributions to candidates, political communications to physicians, independent expenditures and electioneering communications.

Working in concert with state medical society PACs, AMPAC contributed more than $1.7 million to physician-friendly candidates for the U.S. Senate and House from both political parties. Many factors are considered when making contribution decisions, including state PAC recommendations, incumbent vote records, and competitiveness of races. In the general election, of the candidates AMPAC supported, 393 won their bid to be seated in Congress, for a 95% AMPAC win rate.

AMPAC sent more than one half-million pieces of direct mail to physician members urging support for 110 pro-medicine candidates in both parties. AMPAC spent approximately $300,000 informing AMA and state medical society members about the importance of participating in the political process. The political communications to physicians—officially known as partisan communications—are effective both as demonstrating our support among key members of Congress, but they also serve as a reminder to AMA members that AMPAC is working on their behalf.

AMPAC also conducted $1.5 million worth of independent expenditures, persuading voters to support candidates in key races for medicine. Independent expenditures were conducted for Senate candidates in New Hampshire and Oregon and House candidates in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. AMPAC communications are always positive in nature and are based on rigorous research and tested to ensure AMPAC has a beneficial impact on the races.

Under new federal regulations AMPAC spent nearly $600,000 by engaging in “electioneering communications,” a tactic that enables AMPAC to educate voters about a candidate’s stance on health care issues, without explicitly calling for the election or defeat of the candidate. AMPAC conducted electioneering communications for Senate candidates in Maine and Minnesota.

You can see all of AMPAC’s ads on our YouTube channel.

Physicians in Congress

AMPAC saw an increase in physician participation in the 2008 election cycle and is pleased to announce that physicians continue to make significant gains in Congress. The 111th Congress will see an increase in physicians serving as Members of Congress. Of the 30 physicians who ran for federal office on Tuesday, 13 were successfully elected and two races, one in Maryland, the other in Louisiana, remain too close to call. Eight of the thirty physician-candidates are graduates of AMPAC’s candidate workshop and/or campaign school.

We’d particularly like to welcome two newly elected congressmen: Phil Roe, MD from Tennessee’s 1st district and Bill Cassidy, MD from the 6th district of Louisiana. Both physicians are also alumni of AMPAC’s campaign schools.

If you have ever thought of running for office, or working on a campaign, now’s the time to get involved. AMPAC’s Candidate Workshop, designed for those physicians, spouses and medical society staff who are interested in running for office will be held Feb. 19-21, 2010 in the Washington, D.C. area. The Campaign School, for those looking to volunteer on campaigns, will be held April 21-25, 2010.

For your application or more information about the schools, please contact our Political Education division at 202-789-7465 or politicaleducation@ama-assn.org, or click on the Political Education tab at the top of the page.