Stand Up for Science launches Super PAC for 2026 midterms

Stand Up for Science has launched Science Victory Fund, an independent expenditure-only political action committee aimed at backing pro-science candidates and policy in select congressional races. The group says the new effort will use paid media and volunteer outreach to target flippable districts in the 2026 midterms.

Why it matters: - Science Victory Fund gives Stand Up for Science a new political arm for the 2026 midterms. - The Super PAC is designed to steer money, volunteers and paid messaging toward candidates who back science-based policy. - The group is targeting races it sees as winnable, which could affect close House contests in November.

What happened: - Stand Up for Science announced the launch of Science Victory Fund on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. - The new committee is an independent expenditure-only political action committee, or Super PAC. - The organization said the Super PAC will advocate for pro-science candidates and policy. - The committee will focus its resources on select congressional midterm races this November.

The details: - Dr. Colette Delawalla, founder and CEO of Stand Up for Science, said the group is moving from mobilizing around science and democracy to directly influencing elections. - Delawalla said Science Victory Fund will support candidates who back evidence-based decision making and oppose what she described as the dismantling of the scientific ecosystem and democratic systems. - Vincent Vertuccio, political director of Science Victory Fund, said the committee will work to expand the map and support pro-science candidates who are outside the national spotlight. - The group says its efforts will include multi-modal paid media campaigns and grassroots outreach through its volunteer base. - The strategic focus is on flippable districts where pro-science candidates are challenging supporters of Donald Trump’s agenda on science. - The committee is building its donor network. - Stand Up for Science expects to announce its first round of candidate endorsements in the coming weeks. - Delawalla and Vertuccio are available for comment and media appearances. - The committee’s paid-for notice lists Science Victory Fund at 700 Pennsylvania Ave SE., Ste 200, Washington, DC 20003. - The notice says the committee is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Between the lines: - The launch signals a broader push by science advocacy groups to translate protest and organizing into electoral spending. - The emphasis on lesser-known candidates suggests the committee wants to shape turnout and local media markets, not just high-profile races. - The framing of the campaign as a response to a “war on science” puts science policy directly into the partisan midterm fight.

What's next: - Science Victory Fund plans to announce its initial endorsements in the coming weeks. - The committee will continue raising money as it prepares for November races. - Paid media and volunteer outreach are expected to ramp up as the 2026 midterms get closer.

The bottom line: - Stand Up for Science is turning its advocacy network into a political operation aimed at helping pro-science candidates win key congressional races in 2026.