Nurses Strengthen Their Voice in Elected Leadership

Nurses were well represented in the 2026 midterm elections – a reflection of the profession’s growing engagement in national policy discussions affecting patients, communities and the healthcare workforce. Eighteen nurse candidates sought congressional office with incumbent Representatives Lauren Underwood, RN, D-Ill., and Sheri Biggs, DNP, CRNP, R-S.C. winning re-election.  Mitchell Berman, BSN, RN, CEN, an emergency department and Veterans Health Administration nurse, won Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District.  Kristina Knickerbocker, APRN-CNP, a neuro-oncology nurse practitioner, won Ohio’s 10th Congressional District. The race has not yet been called for Elizabeth Lee, RN, D-Ariz, a board‑certified reproductive health and infertility nurse. While other nurse candidates did not win their races, including Representative Jen Kiggans, RN, R-Va., and Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD, MS, BSN, R-Iowa, their civic courage underscores the growing presence and value of nurses in elected leadership and public policy. For nurse leaders, that engagement matters: Decisions made at the federal level influence workforce policy, access to care, workplace safety and nursing education.