Receiving 59 percent of votes, Steve Ferrara, MD, made history as the first radiologist in the United States to win a contested primary race. Ferrara secured the GOP nomination for the open U.S. House seat in Arizona’s Phoenix-based 9th Congressional District, which is expected to be a high-profile race in November.
“I am honored to have earned the trust and support of the voters of the 9th Congressional District to serve as the Republican nominee in the general election,” Ferrara said in a statement issued by RADPAC, the American College of Radiology (ACR)'s federal political action committee. “There are so many great people who have helped my campaign, but I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the tremendous amount of support I’ve received from the radiology community–I’m grateful beyond words.”
Ferrara received more than 21,000 votes within his district, defeating David Giles, the GOP’s 2016 nominee. The 9th Congressional District consists of 36 percent of independent voters, compared to 31 percent Republicans and 33 percent Democrats.
Despite the mixed bag of voters in his District, Ferrara’s campaign was able to raise more than $1 million in campaign funds. He is backed by 15 Republican members of the House and 20 physician organizations—including RADPAC.
“We are well-positioned in our race,” Ferrara said. “Our data shows that both my military and healthcare background resonates with voters across the political spectrum. Voters also like the fact that I’m not a career politician. Right now, our biggest goal is ensuring we have the necessary financial resources to communicate with voters because when voters hear our message, they are very supportive of our campaign.”
Ferrara will face former Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton in the general election on Nov. 8.
As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.