For those of us working to improve patient and Nurse safety and ensure quality, affordable healthcare for all, yesterday’s elections hold some outstanding victories:

Governor Gavin Newsom California elected a champion for affordable healthcare and protections for workers’ rights at a time when voices in Washington, D.C., and corporate interests have escalated attacks on workers and aim to divide working people by diminishing collective bargaining rights. This is a significant victory in California.

Healthcare Heroes in Sacramento Across the state, Californians elected leaders who understand the need for good Nurse and patient legislation and policy…leaders who will listen more to patients and those of us on the front line of patient safety than to the giant corporate hospital CEOs. Leaders like State Senator Connie Leyva, who authored our “Stop Repeat Offender Hospitals” bill this year, and the bill's co-authors, Assemblymembers Miguel Santiago, Rob Bonta and Freddie Rodriguez (who also authored our “Whistleblower Protections” bill last year). We also worked to ensure the re-election of two other Assemblymembers who understand the need for improved patient safety: Al Muratsuchi and Sabrina Cervantes. (By the way, if you ever thought your vote didn't count, Sabrina's race should remind you that every vote counts—at the time of sending this email, she leads by three votes!)

Another notable win went to one of our newest State Senators: longtime labor leader Maria Elena Durazo, who served as Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor from 2006 to 2014.

Healthcare was a major reason the 25th Congressional District went to Katie Hill One of the more heated races for the U.S. House of Representatives happened right here in L.A. County. Newcomer Katie Hill unseated Steve Knight, who repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) even though the repeal would leave many children and seniors in his district without access to affordable healthcare. Only 10% of his constituents supported repeal. Knight also consistently voted against Medicaid, even though 32% of the children in his district are on Medicaid or CHIP, and 14% of the adults in the district are on Medicaid.

For more California election results, including the propositions, visit the California Secretary of State’s website.

The Nurses of SEIU Local 121RN also endorsed and fought hard to elect other Healthcare Heroes, including longtime healthcare champion Senator Dr. Ed Hernandez who ran for California Lt. Governor and former Assemblymember Mike Eng who ran for State Senate. Although they didn't win their races, we hope to continue to work with these steadfast Nurse and patient advocates in the near future to advance patient and Nurse safety, quality affordable healthcare for all and strong communities.

Notable national results...

More than 100 women were elected to the U.S. Congress in these historic midterms At least 98 women of both parties look to win seats in the House of Representatives and 12 will likely join the Senate according to the latest projections by ABC News. An unprecedented number of female candidates ran for the first time. The figure marks an all-time high for the number of women in the House. (Please note that these results could fluctuate as more precincts report.)

One of the biggest winners was Medicaid Expansion Voters in three states—Utah, Idaho and Nebraska—voted for ballot measures to expand Medicaid, even though their governors and state legislatures opposed this lifesaving measure. Votes are still being counted in Montana, where an initiative proposes continued funding for Medicaid expansion through a tobacco tax.