Recently, our associate director, Barbara Muñoz, spoke with a family physician who had completed residency one to two years earlier but had not renewed their membership with UAFP. When Barbara asked why they had chosen not to rejoin, the physician responded, “I don’t like that UAFP endorses Republicans.”

UAFP is a nonpartisan organization committed to representing all family physicians, medical students and residents across Utah, regardless of political affiliation or ideology. Our advocacy efforts focus on supporting initiatives and advancing legislation that benefit our members and their patients, including issues such as expanding access to healthcare, increasing physician reimbursement, strengthening graduate medical education funding and reducing administrative burdens on physicians.

I must admit that when Barbara shared this conversation with me, I was both surprised and frustrated. Utah is a predominantly Republican state. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of the state legislature, every member of our federal delegation is Republican, and all statewide elected offices are currently held by Republicans. If we were to limit our engagement to only one political party, we would immediately forfeit opportunities to build support among the other. More importantly, in a state with Utah’s political makeup, choosing to work exclusively with Democrats would significantly diminish our ability to effectively advocate for family medicine.

I have great respect for anyone who chooses to run for public office. Seeking elected office requires a tremendous commitment of time, energy and personal sacrifice. Candidates ask friends, family members and supporters for financial contributions, spend countless hours meeting voters, and dedicate themselves to public service with no guarantee of success.

I believe that balanced representation often produces the strongest public policy. However, regardless of the political composition of a legislature, it is essential that we work with policymakers who are willing to support the issues that matter most to family physicians and their patients.

To be clear, not every elected official shares our priorities. Yet, in my more than two decades of working with the legislature, I have found that we have far more in common than we often realize. Too frequently, the issues that divide us are those that have become highly politicized, creating unnecessary conflict and polarization.

Our political action committee, Fam Med PAC, is relatively small. We provide modest contributions to a select number of candidates who have demonstrated meaningful support for family medicine and our legislative priorities. While we are not a major political player, we believe it is important to participate in the process, recognize those who support our profession, and express appreciation to legislators who sometimes take political risks to advance policies that benefit family physicians and their patients. Those legislators come from both political parties.

For example, our non-compete legislation was sponsored by Rep. Katy Hall, a Republican who worked tirelessly to advance the bill. Without her leadership and commitment, I am confident we would not have achieved success. As the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, she was ideally placed to put forward the legislation, but we also relied on Democratic support to ensure passage of the bill.

I take the commitment to speak on behalf of all family physicians seriously, not only those whose personal views align with my own. Our Advocacy Committee, composed of board members elected by the membership, helps guide endorsement decisions. The committee carefully reviews legislative voting records, bill sponsorships and lawmakers’ support for our policy priorities before making recommendations.

Using the voice and reputation of UAFP to endorse a candidate is a responsibility we do not take lightly. As individuals, each of us is free to support and vote for the candidates of our choosing. As an organization, however, our endorsements are based on what we believe best serves the interests of our membership as a whole and advances the mission of family medicine in Utah.