Doctors You Didn't Know Were Republican

November 11, 2023

Physicians are some of the most educated, trained, and widely respected individuals in society today. However, most individuals are unaware numerous physicians are also very involved in United States politics. Many ideas listed in the American Medical Association's (AMA) Code Of Medical Ethics imply the idea physicians have an ethical responsibility to take an active part in political changes that will benefit their patients. Physicians can accomplish this by registering, casting their vote, contributing to the campaigns of medicine-friendly political committees and candidates, and running for public office themselves. Physicians have the opportunity to influence social and economic issues that affect their patients' health. Seventeen physicians are members of the current 116th congress. Three senators are physicians, and fourteen seats in the House Of Representatives are held by physicians.

Many individuals may not know several medical doctors hold a role or affiliation with the Republican Party of the United States. Let's take a look at them now.

Ben Carson

Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr., known as Ben Carson, was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1951, and attended Yale University and received his Bachelor's in Psychology in 1973, and attended medical school at the University Of Michigan. Ben Carson received his medical degree in 1977 from the University Of Michigan and continued to a neurosurgery residency at Johns Hopkins University Medical School. Once he became established at Johns Hopkins, he was promoted to Director Of Pediatric Neurosurgery in 1984. In the following years, Ben Carson held multiple professorships at Johns Hopkins, including professorships in plastic surgery, oncology, and pediatrics. Ben Carson is well known for being the first surgeon to successfully perform a conjoined twins separation in 1987 and refining the hemispherectomy technique.

Ben Carson retired from being a surgeon in 2013 and entered as a Republican candidate in the 2016 presidential election. Ben Carson formally suspended his candidacy in March and became a dedicated and vocal supporter of Donald Trump, who would go on to win the election. President Donald Trump nominated Ben Carson for Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development and took office in March 2017 after being confirmed by the Senate. He is currently serving in this position as of 2019.

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Rand Paul

Randal Howard "Rand" Paul was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1963. Rand Paul attended Baylor University and pursued an undergraduate degree before attending Duke University to obtain his medical degree, which he received in 1988. Rand Paul worked in ophthalmology for fifteen years in clinics and partnerships before he opened his medical practice in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Rand Paul's interest turned to politics because of his father's roots. He became the founder of the Antitaxation Group Of Kentucky Taxpayers United and ran for a seat in the 2010 United States Senate. He took the position of a Republican U.S. Senator representing Kentucky in 2011 and became the founder of the Tea Party Caucus alongside Utah Senator Mike Lee. Rand Paul sought out a nomination for president for the election of 2016 but formally suspended his campaign in February of that year. Rand Paul has written several books, including The Tea Party Goes To Washington, Government Bullies: How Everyday Americans Are Being Harassed, Abused, And Imprisoned By The Feds, and Taking A Stand: Moving Beyond Partisan Politics To Unite America.

Rand Paul is currently a senator and is Kentucky's representative in the 116th Congress. His vote opposed the bill for reversing Trump administration guidance on the Affordable Care Act waivers in support of President Donald Trump's position. His vote was also favorable of President Donald Trump's position on the bill supporting setting requirements for the care of infants born after failed abortions.

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Ron Paul

Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1935. He attended Gettysburg College and received a Bachelor's in Biology in 1957 before attending Duke University and receiving his medical degree in 1961. From 1963 to 1965, Ron Paul served in the United States Air Force as a flight surgeon. He also served as a flight surgeon in the Air National Guard from 1965 to 1968. Ron Paul opened his practice in obstetrics and gynecology after settling down in Brazoria County, Texas, in 1968. Ron Paul entered politics when the Bretton Woods exchange system was abolished by President Nixon in 1971. Ron Paul won a seat in the House Of Representatives in 1974 but lost it in the next general election. He gained his Republican seat in the House Of Representatives back and completed several terms from 1976 to 1977, 1979 to 1985, and 1997 to 2013. Ron Paul ran as a Libertarian candidate in the presidential election of 1988 but stuck with his party affiliation of being a Republican when he returned to the House Of Representatives in 1997. Ron Paul retired from his seat in the House Of Representatives at seventy-seven years old.

Although Ron Paul was never a part of Congress during President Donald Trump's term, he has expressed several points of view on political issues that align directly with those of President Donald Trump. Ron Paul is opposed, like Donald Trump, to allowing abortions to be legal unless maternal life is endangered and does not support a socialized healthcare system for the United States.

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David "Phil" Roe

David "Phil" Roe was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, in 1945. He attended Austin Peay State University and earned his Bachelor's in Biology with a chemistry minor in 1967. Phil Roe attended the University Of Tennessee, where he obtained his medical degree in 1970. Phil Roe spent two years serving in the United States Army Medical Corps shortly after receiving his medical degree. He had his OBGYN medical practice for thirty-one years in Johnson City, where he performed nearly five thousand newborn deliveries. Phil Roe leaned into politics when it became clear to him that the healthcare system in the United States needed reform. He first served as Mayor of Johnson City in Tennessee from 2007 to 2009 and got his seat in the United States House Of Representatives as a Republican in 2008, where he currently holds office.

Phil Roe has voted in agreement with President Donald Trump on various issues while he has been in office. Phil Roe voted against the bill for lowering prescription drug costs and reversing changes to the Affordable Care Act, as well as the bill for blocking the Trump administration from granting Affordable Care Act waivers to states. Phil Roe favored President Donald Trump's position by voting to support the bill for making changes to health savings accounts and allowing them to be used for over the counter medications. Phil Roe also voted to support the bill expanding eligibility for health savings accounts.

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Phil McGraw

Phillip McGraw, commonly known as simply Dr. Phil, was born in Vinita, Oklahoma, in 1950. He attended the University Of Tulsa on a football scholarship but transferred to Midwestern State University when he became injured. At Midwestern State University, Dr. Phil earned his Bachelor's in Psychology in 1975. He then transferred to the University Of North Texas, where he earned his Master's in Psychology and his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Following his education, Dr. Phil joined his father in practicing as a psychologist. Dr. Phil turned to a different direction in his professional life, closing his practice and launching a company called Courtroom Sciences, Inc, which offered mediation, jury selection, and mock trial services to lawyers. Dr. Phil rose to the spotlight when his CSI services helped Oprah Winfrey win her defamation case. He appeared on her show, and was coined as 'Tell It Like It Is Phil.' In 2002, he started his own television show, Dr. Phil.

Dr. Phil is registered as a Republican, but doesn't voice his political views over the air. However, he was a part of George W. Bush's presidential campaign and has donated to numerous Republican candidates. President Donald Trump and Phil McGraw align well because both are known for their bluntness when they speak and have a no-nonsense approach to what they do. Dr. Phil himself once stated, "Voters gravitate toward Donald Trump because he gives a voice to their frustrations, saying the stuff everybody wishes they could say."

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Michael Burgess

Michael Burgess was born in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1950. He attended North Texas State University, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1972 and a master's degree in 1976. Michael Burgess continued to medical school at the University Of Texas Medical School, where he received a medical degree in 1977 followed by a residency at Parkland Hospital. Michael Burgess returned to earn a Master's in Medical Management at the University Of Texas and received an Honorary Doctorate Of Public Service from the North Texas Health Sciences Center in 2009. Michael Burgess held a position as Chief Of Obstetrics, followed by Chief Of Staff at Lewisville Medical Center. He then became the Founder of Obstetrics And Gynecology Associates Of Lewisville, and he became the President of Denton County Medical Society.

Michael Burgess ran for a seat in the House Of Representatives as a Republican in the 108th Congress and took office in 2003, where he has held office ever since. Michael Burgess has numerous views that align with those of President Donald Trump and the Republican party. He opposed the bill on lowering prescription drug costs and reversing changes to the Affordable Care Act. He also voted to support the bill on making changes to health savings accounts and allowing them to be used for over the counter medications, as well as the bill on expanding eligibility for health savings accounts.

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Bill Cassidy

William "Bill" Cassidy was born in Highland Park, Illinois, in 1957. He attended Louisiana State University where he earned a Bachelor's in Biochemistry in 1979 and a medical degree in 1983. Bill Cassidy became an associate professor of medicine in 1990 at Earl K. Long Hospital At LSU School Of Medicine. He then became a doctor at Earl K. Long Hospital at LSU in 1988. Bill Cassidy co-founded and became a physician at Baton Rouge Community Clinic, and became an administrator in 2005 at the Katrina K-Mart Hospital. Before 2001, Bill Cassidy primarily supported Democratic candidates until his positions became more aligned with the Republican Party.

Bill Cassidy was elected to the Senate as a Republican in 2006, representing the state of Louisiana. He ran for a seat in the U.S. House Of Representatives in 2008 for the 6th congressional district and successfully took office in 2009. Bill Cassidy was re-elected back into the U.S. Senate in 2014 and has held office ever since. He has vocalized his strong opposition to the Barack Obama administration and the Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act Of 2010. Bill Cassidy has a chair on the Subcommittee on Health Care and serves on the Veterans Affairs committees. Bill Cassidy aligns with President Donald Trump in many aspects. He voted to support the bill setting requirements for the care of infants born after failed abortions, and the bill for the permanent ban on the use of federal funds for abortion or health coverage that includes abortions.

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Mark Green

Mark Green was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964. He attended The United States Military Academy at West Point, where he earned a Bachelor's in Quantitative Business Management in 1986. He then attended the University Of Southern California, earning his Master's in Information Systems in 1987 and Master's in Counseling in 1989. Mark Green earned his medical degree in 1999 at the Wright State University Of Boonshoft School Of Medicine, became the chief resident at Fort Hood from 1999 to 2002, and served as a special operations flight surgeon in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment from 2002 to 2004. From 2004 to 2006, he was Chief Of The Department Of Emergency Medicine at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital before becoming Chief Of The Department Of Emergency Medicine at Jennie Stuart Medical Center in 2007 and 2008. Mark Green was Emergency Department Medical Director at Bay Medical Center in 2009 and 2010. From 2008 to 2015, Mark Green served as the President and CEO of MD-Partners Professional Limited Liability Company, while simultaneously serving as President of Align Medical from 2010 to 2016. Mark Green is the CEO of Linden Risk Management and Chief Of The Department Of Emergency Medicine at Gateway Medical Center.

In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Mark Green for Secretary Of The Army, U.S. Department Of Defense. Mark Green held office in the Senate as a Republican representing Tennessee from 2013 to 2019, and currently holds a seat in the House Of Representatives as a Republican since the beginning of 2019.

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Ralph Abraham

Ralph Abraham was born in Alto, Louisiana, in 1954. He attended Louisiana State University (LSU) and earned a bachelor's degree before graduating from the LSU School Of Veterinary Medicine in 1980. Ralph Abraham became a certified pilot and flight instructor in 1980, then served in the Mississippi Army National Guard Special Forces as First Lieutenant with the 20th SFG Airborne Division from 1986 to 1989. Ralph Abraham obtained his medical degree from LSU School Of Medicine in 1994. He began his practice as a general family practitioner in 1995 and has been in practice ever since. Ralph Abraham was elected into the House Of Representatives in 2014 as a Republican and is still in office. Ralph Abraham is a former medical mission member of the Hospitals for Humanity in Haiti and a former medical mission member of the Bahamas Habitat Team. He is an active member of the Louisiana State Medical Society and the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute.

Ralph Abraham shares the same Republican views as President Donald Trump on many issues. Ralph Abraham voted in agreement with Donald Trump to oppose the bill condemning the Trump administration for calling on courts to invalidate the Affordable Care Act. He also voted to support the bill for expanding eligibility for health savings accounts, and the bill for eliminating the medical device tax.

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John Barrasso

John Barrasso was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1952, and attended Georgetown University and earned a Bachelor's of Science in 1974 and a Doctorate in Medicine in 1978. He then completed a residency at Yale Medical School and settled down in Casper, Wyoming. John Barrasso became an orthopedic surgeon at Casper Orthopedic Associates and practiced there from 1983 to 2007. Following that, he became Chief Of Staff at Wyoming Medical Center while also serving the rodeo associations and state fair as a surgeon. John Barrasso also held the title as the President of the Wyoming Medical Society. He unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate in 1996 but was elected to the Wyoming State Senate as a Conservative Republican in 2002 and held his seat until 2006. John Barrasso was then elected into the United States Senate as a Republican the same year and has held office ever since. He held the Minority Policy Committee Chair in the Senate in 2015, and Majority Policy Committee Chair from 2015 to 2019. John Barrasso is also a Chair in the Republican Conference of the Senate.

John Barrasso stands with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party positions on political, social, and economic issues. He voted to support the bill for setting requirements for the care of infants born after failed abortions and voted to support the bill to put a permanent ban on the use of federal funds for abortion or health coverage that includes abortions.

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