Two CMA Members Headed to Congress November 19, 2012 CMA, News Ami Bera MD, Raul Ruiz MD 0 California voters are sending two physician to the U.S. House of Representatives after this month’s election. In an upset, Raul Ruiz, MD, defeated incumbent Mary Bono Mack for the 36th Congressional District seat in the Coachella Valley. Dr. Ruiz, an emergency room physician, handed Bono Mack the first defeat of her 14 years in office. Farther north, Ami Bera, MD, won over Dan Lungren in the race for the 7th Congressional District in suburban Sacramento. “Over the next two years, we will see more rapid change in the health care delivery system than ever before,” said CMA President Paul R. Phinney MD. “With Drs. Ruiz and Bera headed to Washington, we can be assured that physicians and patients will be represented as we help to develop a system that is patient-centric rather than profit-centric, high quality, high-value, evidence-based and universally accessible." Drs. Ruiz and Bera, both Democrats, are members of the CMA. A total of 28 physicians had their names on ballots across the country Tuesday, including 17 incumbents and 11 challengers. Of the 20 physician members of Congress, 17 are in the House and three in the Senate. Comments are closed.
