Pharmacists Serving in State and Federal Government

The most recent election results have propelled pharmacists into key positions across federal and state governments.

At the federal level, former Georgia State Senator Earl “Buddy” Carter (R) became the only pharmacist currently elected to Congress, and at the state level, 47 pharmacists won their bids to serve across 25 state legislatures beginning in 2015.

According to an analysis of the 2014 state election results by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), Georgia and Mississippi are tied for the highest number of pharmacists serving in their state legislatures, at 4 each.

Elsewhere in the nation, pharmacists Justin Boyd (R) of Arkansas, Jeff Stone (R) of California, and Paul Chace (R) of Maine were all newly elected to their respective state legislatures, but newcomers Brian Caswell (D) of Kansas, Mike Seiber (D) of Kentucky, and Tim McMenamin (R) of Oregon lost their state races.

Pharmacists re-elected to their state seats include:

· Senator Ron Grooms (R) and Representative Steve Davisson (R) of Indiana

· Representative John Forbes (R) of Iowa

· Representative Don Hill (R) and Senator Vicki Schmidt (R) of Kansas

· Senator David Sater (R) and Representatives Lynn Morris (R) and Dr. Keith Frederick (R) of Missouri

· Representative David Shepard (R) of Tennessee

Furthermore, Missouri Pharmacy Association Chief Operating Officer Travis Fitzwater (R) won the Missouri House 49th District seat, but Senate Appropriations Chairman Roger Kahn, MD (R), a graduate of the Michigan Pharmacists Association’s “candidate school,” was term-limited.

In addition, incumbent pharmacists Donald B. Elliott (R) of Maryland and Tom Murry (R) of North Carolina lost their bids for re-election, and pharmacist Leticia Van de Putte (D) of Texas lost her race for Lieutenant Governor, though she will continue to serve in the State Senate.

“NACDS believes that individuals with a higher level of knowledge of and experience with pharmacy services are more likely to support policies that are essential to pharmacy care,” wrote NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, in a memo to members. “NACDS, in collaboration with coalition partners, will reach out to the key newly elected and returning state legislators to educate them about pharmacy services.”

Here is the full list of pharmacists currently serving in federal and state legislatures as of January 2015:

Federal

- Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA)*

State

- Senator Billy Beasley (D-AL)

- Representative Elaine Beech (D-AL)

- Representative Ronald Johnson (R-AL)

- Representative Justin Boyd (R-AR)*

- Senator Jeff Stone (R-CA)*

- Representative Bruce Broadrick (R-GA)

- Representative Buddy Harden (R-GA)

- Representative Butch Parrish (R-GA)

- Representative Ron Stephens (R-GA)

- Representative Susan Chew (D-ID)

- Representative Steve Davisson (R-IN)

- Senator Ron Grooms (R-IN)

- Representative John Forbes (D-IA)

- Representative Don Hill (R-KS)

- Senator Vicki Schmidt (R-KS)

- Senator Ronnie Johns (R-LA)

- Representative H. Bernard LeBas (D-LA)

- Senator Fred Mills, Jr. (R-LA)

- Representative Paul Chace (R-ME)*

- Representative Robert W. Nutting (R-ME)

- Delegate Theodore Sophocleus (D-MD)

- Representative Eugene Forrest Hamilton (R-MS)

- Representative Bobby B. Howell (R-MS)

- Representative Nolan Mettetal (R-MS)

- Representative John Read (R-MS)

- Representative Keith Frederick (R-MO)

- Representative Lynn Morris (R-MO)

- Senator David Sater (R-MO)

- Assemblyman John McDonald, III (D-NY)

- Senator Howard Anderson (R-ND)

- Senator Dave Burke (R-OH)

- Representative David Derby (R-OK)

- Senator Rob Standridge (R-OK)

- Representative Mitch Greenlick (D-OR)

- Senator Kevin L. Bryant (R-SC)

- Senator Ronnie W. Cromer (R-SC)

- Representative Lawrence Kit Spires (R-SC)

- Senator Ferrell Haile (R-TN)

- Senator Randy McNally (R-TN)

- Representative David Shepard (D-TN)

- Senator Charles Schwertner (R-TX)

- Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D-TX)

- Senator Evan J. Vickers (R-UT)

- Delegate Keith Hodges (R-VA)

- Delegate Chris Jones (R-VA)

- Senator Linda Evans Parlette (R-WA)

- Delegate Don Perdue (D-WV)

* = Member-elect