More and more UNAC/UHCP members have been making the connection between the candidates that we elect to office and the laws and regulations passed in our state to protect patient safety and affordable health care.

With our Political Director Jimmy Gomez running in the June 5 primary for an LA-based seat in the State Assembly, members hosted phone banking parties, walked precincts to knock on doors, and talked to their co-workers about the election. Our efforts helped power Gomez to a strong first place finish, and also helped UNAC/UHCP’s other endorsed candidates do well.

“In order to safely take care of patients, we have to elect the right people to office,” said Machelle Bailey, an RN in Internal Medicine at UNAC/UHCP’s Kaiser Riverside affiliate who joined other UNAC/UHCP members in phone banking for Gomez.

“I felt it was important to get involved,” said Syed Rob, RN at Kaiser Woodland Hills, who hosted a phone banking party at his home. When Kaiser South Bay members held a home phone bank, Yadira Velasquez brought her daughter, who got high school credit for participating.

Even more UNAC/UHCP member participation will be needed to elect Gomez and our other endorsed candidates in November, and to fight the ballot initiative that threatens to eliminate our voice in politics completely, known as the Special Exemptions Act.

In addition to Gomez, these other candidates we supported finished strong in the June 5 primary:

Los Angeles County
SD 33 – Ricardo Lara
AD 41 – Chris Holden
AD 48 – Roger Hernandez
AD 50 – Betsy Butler
AD 57 – Ian Calderon
AD 59 – Reggie Jones-Sawyer
AD 63 – Anthony Rendon

Riverside County
AD 47 – Joe Baca Jr.
AD 61 – Jose Medina