Stand Up for Science Endorses Pro-Science Congressional Candidates in Critical Districts

Endorsements promote candidates who will protect science and democracy, replace anti-science members of Congress in 2027.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Today, Stand Up for Science proudly announces the first round of official endorsements of pro-science candidates for the 120th Congress in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. These endorsements recognize the candidates’ commitments to protecting public health and research, defending evidence-based policymaking, and pushing for government accountability. The candidates are all running critical races, challenging loyalists to Trump’s war on science:

- Will Lawrence, community organizer running in Michigan’s 7th District;
- Jasmine Clark, microbiologist and current State Representative running in Georgia’s 13th District;
- Chris Gallant, military veteran and public servant running in New York’s 1st District;
- Don Leonard, university professor running in Ohio’s 15th District.
- Jamie Ager, fourth generation farmer running in North Carolina’s 11th District, and
- Bernadette Greene-Placentia, long-haul trucker and small business owner running in Arizona’s 8th District.

A Stand Up for Science endorsement lets voters know that a candidate is a champion of science who will work on behalf of the people to preserve scientific freedom and integrity and keep political and ideological influences out of the scientific process.

“We’re excited to support these candidates because they share our values and vision for evidence-based policymaking. Endorsing pro-science candidates who are challenging Trump loyalists is a natural extension of the advocacy work we’ve been doing in response to the administration’s attacks on science and democracy. Members of Congress who fail to defend our scientific institutions from these attacks will be out of a job,” said Dr. Colette Delawalla, Founder and CEO of Stand Up for Science.

“These are must-win races — it’s crucial we mobilize at the ballot box to put a stop to the war on science that’s being enabled by a complacent Congress,” said Vincent Vertuccio, spokesperson for Stand Up for Science.

Stand Up for Science endorsements are awarded after a careful vetting process. Stand Up for Science previously announced its endorsement of congressional candidate Brian Poindexter from Ohio’s 7th District, who the organization is pushing to unseat Congressman Max Miller. More endorsements will be announced in the coming weeks.

Delawalla and Vertuccio are available for comment and media appearances.

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Paid for by Science Victory Fund, 700 Pennsylvania Ave SE., Ste 200, Washington, DC 20003. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Stand Up for Science is a grassroots, Washington, D.C. based, non-profit organization mobilizing the fight for science and democracy. Stand Up for Science was formed in February 2025 in response to actions affecting federal science agencies and funding of the American scientific ecosystem. On March 7th, Stand Up for Science mobilized over 50,000 people at 170+ events across the world on its first National Day of Action. Federal scientists across multiple agencies (NIH, EPA, NASA, FEMA) have chosen Stand Up for Science as the platform to publish their open letters of concern. Stand Up for Science is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization [EIN: 33-4154429] and donations are not tax-deductible.

Vincent Vertuccio
Stand Up for Science
vincent@standupforscience.net