"My Favorite Candidate for Congress": Andrew Yang Endorses Sam

It happened on a New York City sidewalk, no press conference required.

Former presidential candidate, two-time mayoral candidate, and longtime democracy reformer Andrew Yang pulled out his phone, put his arm around Sam, and made it official:

"My favorite candidate for Congress in New Jersey's 12th District."

Andrew didn't just endorse. He asked New Jersey voters to mark their ballots for Sam on Tuesday, June 2nd — and noted that mail ballots are arriving in mailboxes right now. Then he put his own money and time on the line:

"I've donated, I'm volunteering, and let's get this man to Congress."

Sam, in his own words, took the moment to lay out what he's running on: a democracy scientist who wants to restore the Constitution, save public health, and protect immigrants. Or, as he put it, "a scientist fighting for your democracy and mine."

Andrew and Sam have known each other for years through their shared work on electoral reform — open primaries, ranked-choice voting, and ending the gerrymandered maps that lock voters out of real representation. When two reformers agree the system is broken and one steps up to fix it from inside Congress, it's worth paying attention.

Sam recently joined Andrew on the Andrew Yang Podcast for a 36-minute conversation about fixing American democracy — including why this 13-way primary for an open seat is winnable with as few as 20,000 votes. Listen to the full episode →

"In a district of 770,000 people, our estimate is that as few as 20,000 votes could be enough to win this primary." — Sam Wang, on the Andrew Yang Podcast

20,000 votes. That's the number. That's why every dollar raised, every door knocked, and every neighbor told matters between now and June 2nd.

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang stopped Sam on the streets of New York to give his official endorsement and ask New Jersey to send Sam to Congress.

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Join Andrew. Help us reach 20,000.

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Nobel Laureates and Leading Scientists Endorse Sam Wang for Congress

PRINCETON, NJ -  Nobel laureates, National Medal of Science recipients, and leading researchers across New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District are endorsing Princeton neuroscientist Sam Wang for Congress, warning that federal attacks on science, public health, and research funding threaten America’s future.

The endorsers include scientists from Princeton University, Rutgers University, The College of New Jersey, and the Institute for Advanced Study, including former Princeton University president Shirley M. Tilghman and Nobel laureate John Hopfield, a founder of machine learning and artificial intelligence.

“The Nobel laureates include winners in physics, chemistry, and physiology or medicine,” said Dr. Sam Wang. “There are also two winners of the National Medal of Science, the highest scientific honor given by the United States, as well as multiple members of the National Academy of Sciences and leaders in education throughout central New Jersey.”

“These people have played a foundational role in machine learning, artificial intelligence, unlocking secrets of the universe, biology, and medicine,” Wang added.

In their endorsement, the scientists warned that the administration’s attacks on research funding and public health institutions are jeopardizing America’s global leadership in science.

“American science has produced countless benefits and jobs for our society,” the group wrote. “Yet the administration is systematically attacking science, life-saving medical research, and democracy itself. Congress needs representatives who will fight to preserve science. We enthusiastically endorse Sam Wang.”

Read the full letter.

Wang said the stakes of the election are about more than politics—they are about whether the United States continues to invest in the discoveries that improve everyday life.

“Science and technology have always benefited from fundamental advances made in New Jersey,” Wang said. “Those advances include the lightbulb, the transistor, the laser, advances in cancer treatment, and artificial intelligence.”

“These advances have made life better and easier for hundreds of millions of Americans.”

Wang, who founded the Princeton Gerrymandering Project and helped challenge rigged electoral maps across the country, said Congress must defend both democratic institutions and the scientific enterprise.

“If we undermine science and drive talent away, other countries will lead the next century of discovery,” Wang said. “We should be strengthening the innovation ecosystem that built America’s prosperity—not tearing it down.”

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Help defend science and democracy!

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Sam Wang Discusses Florida Redistricting

News4JAX’s Politics & Power featured a substantive interview with Sam Wang on Florida’s mid-decade redistricting fight and its implications for control of the U.S. House. In the segment, Morning Show anchor Bruce Hamilton spoke with Wang about how aggressive redistricting could reshape representation in 2026.

Watch the full interview on YouTube.

The Transmitter Profiles Sam Wang

The Transmitter profiled neuroscientist Sam Wang’s run for Congress, highlighting his long-standing work on democracy and redistricting. The piece looks at how his research and public advocacy shaped his decision to enter the race.

Read the full article at The Transmitter.

Why I’m Running for Congress

In a guest contribution to The Daily Princetonian, Sam Wang lays out the reasons behind his campaign, including restoring the rule of law, fighting gerrymandering, defending higher education, and pursuing broader democratic reform.

Read the full piece at The Daily Princetonian.

Lawrence Lessig Endorses Sam Wang

Lawrence Lessig, a prominent legal scholar and democracy reform advocate, endorsed Sam Wang in a series of public posts, praising his work on anti-gerrymandering reform and evidence-based public service.

View Lessig’s endorsement on X.

Sam Wang Launches Campaign

Sam Wang announced his campaign for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District in a Substack post outlining why he is running and the democracy reforms he hopes to advance. The post also invited readers to join a Reddit AMA on February 5.

Read more on Substack

The Daily Princetonian First Reports Sam Wang’s Congressional Run

The Daily Princetonian first reported Sam Wang’s entry into the race, noting his FEC filing in New Jersey’s 12th District and his plans to officially announce his candidacy in the coming weeks.

Read the full article at The Daily Princetonian.