On Saturday, October 24, 2020, the California Medical Association (CMA) Political Action Committee (CALPAC) shattered all previous fundraising records in its history, raising $197,343 during CMA’s annual House of Delegates (HOD) meeting to support its political advocacy efforts.

The $197,343 raised this year from 400 donors represents a 14% increase over CALPAC’s 2019 HOD fundraising total, and a 12% increase in donors. Numerous delegations showed strong participation in the fundraising drive, with the District I and Organized Medical Staff Section delegations each seeing 100% of its members contribute. Other delegations also increased their annual support of CALPAC, including District V, District VIII, the Medium and Large Group Practice Forums, and the Specialty Delegation. Meanwhile, numerous physicians from District IV stepped up to pledge and raise thousands of dollars for CALPAC in support of the Medical Student and Resident and Fellow Sections.

CALPAC’s success would not have been possible without the extraordinary support of physicians who advocated for the importance of donating leading into the virtual event. Before the House of Delegates began, CALPAC board members had solicited 116 donations from their peers.

CALPAC’s previous fundraising record of $176,000 was set at the 2013 House of Delegates, when the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) was under attack by trial attorneys seeking to overturn California’s longstanding professional liability reforms through Proposition 46. CMA led the Prop. 46 opposition campaign, which failed by a two to one margin.