Elections break about even for veterinary candidates

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On Election Day Nov. 2, voters sent 14 veterinarians to state office and gave Dr. Kurt Schrader another two-year term as Oregon's 5th District representative in Congress.

Nine veterinarians lost in their election bids, however.

Dr. Kurt Schrader
Dr. Kurt Schrader spoke at the AVMA Political Action Committee Club Luncheon this past August in Atlanta. Dr. Schrader is the only veterinarian serving in the House of Representatives.

According to the AVMA State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Department, the following veterinarians were elected for the first time to state office: Dr. Dan W. Brown to the Missouri Senate for the 16th District; Dr. James B. Rausch to the New Hampshire Senate for the 19th District; Dr. Steve Katz to the New York General Assembly for the 99th District; Dr. Bill Rabon to the North Carolina Senate for the 8th District; Dr. Dean Knudson to the Wisconsin Assembly for the 30th District; and Dr. Fred Emerich to the Wyoming Senate for the 5th District.

Winning re-election were Dr. Eugene Maddox to the Georgia House for the 172nd District; Dr. Joe M. Seng to the Iowa Senate for the 43rd District; Dr. Krayton Kerns to the Montana House for the 58th District; Dr. Phil Richardson to the Oklahoma House for the 56th District; Dr. Brian Renegar to the Oklahoma House for the 17th District; Dr. Charles "Doc" Anderson to the Texas House for the 56th District; Dr. John Mathis to the Utah House for the 55th District; and Dr. Kathy Haigh to the Washington state House for the 35th District.

Dr. Schrader narrowly won a closely watched election 50 percent to 47 percent against his Republican challenger. "Oregonians clearly dismissed the mythology and misinformation that was especially pervasive this year and recognized that I'm still the same budget watchdog and small business supporter I was as a member of the Oregon Legislature," he said in a statement posted on his website.

Dr. Schrader was first elected to Congress in 2008 and is the only veterinarian serving in the House of Representatives. Dr. John Ensign of Nevada is the sole veterinarian in the Senate. He won a second term in the Senate in 2006.

As a freshman in Congress, Dr. Schrader supported the AVMA's legislative agenda by co-sponsoring the Veterinary Public Health Amendments Act and Veterinarian Services Investment Act. Additionally, he introduced a resolution in the House marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of veterinary medicine by proclaiming 2011 as World Veterinary Year.

"As a legislator and congressman, I have always prided myself in my ability to work with members of both parties, and I look forward to continuing that commitment with this newly elected Congress," Dr. Schrader said.