US midterms: Democratic doctors and scientists win wave of elections

Democratic doctors and scientists won a wave of elections across the US in the 2026 midterms, a result organizers call the "Stem swing" and "revenge of the nerds." The victories are seen as a rebuke of Trumpism and the Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement. Democrats spent heavily on healthcare-related ads, with over 158,000 such ads versus 61,000 for Republicans, after years of cuts to health and science infrastructure. Notable winners include Dr Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan and Dr Annie Andrews of South Carolina, the first Democratic doctors in the Senate since 1969. The wins follow upheaval at agencies like the CDC and NIH under Robert F Kennedy Jr, who became a key rallying point for opponents. New lawmakers face challenges including Medicaid work requirements taking effect in 2027, with cuts expected to leave 17 million people uninsured.