Bellina Endorses Fitzpatrick in Pa. House Race
ALS patient and Right to Try Act co-founder Matt Bellina publicly backed Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick's re-election bid in Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Philanthropy
Matt Bellina, a former Navy pilot who has lived with ALS since 2014, endorsed Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick's re-election campaign in a November 1 social media post. Fitzpatrick is running against Democrat Bob Harvie in Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District.
Why it matters
The endorsement ties a personal health advocacy story to a competitive congressional contest, highlighting Fitzpatrick's bipartisan work on Right to Try and ALS policy. For Pennsylvania voters, it puts a spotlight on how the candidate's legislative record on medical access is being presented during the campaign.
The Right to Try Act became law in May 2018 with bipartisan support, and Fitzpatrick co-sponsored it. Bellina, diagnosed with ALS in 2014, is one of its co-founders, and the Fitzpatrick campaign has not commented on the endorsement.
The players
Matt Bellina
A former Navy pilot and ALS patient who co-founded the Right to Try Act and has advocated for expanded access to experimental treatments.
Brian Fitzpatrick
The Republican U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, who co-sponsored the Right to Try Act and co-chairs the congressional ALS caucus.
The details
Bellina posted his endorsement on social media on November 1, typing the message character by character after stepping back from social media use due to his device. He wrote that he backed Fitzpatrick because of a personal friendship and his assessment of the congressman's character.
Timeline
2014: Bellina is diagnosed with ALS.
May 2018: The Right to Try Act becomes law.
June 2025: Fitzpatrick and Bellina launch ALS.community.
November 1, 2026: Bellina posts his endorsement of Fitzpatrick.
Market Landscape
The Right to Try Act of 2018 expanded patient access to investigational drugs that had cleared early-stage safety trials, and Fitzpatrick's sponsorship of it is now a central element of his campaign record. The endorsement places a federal patient-access law at the center of a competitive House race in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District voters are weighing the candidates' records on patient-access policy in the upcoming contest. The endorsement may influence how residents view Fitzpatrick's work on ALS and experimental treatment access.
The takeaway
Advocacy rooted in personal experience can carry weight in politics when it is tied to concrete legislation. Readers following the race can compare candidates' records on health policy directly.
Further reading
Explore more on Philanthropy to see how advocacy and charitable efforts shape public health campaigns in Pennsylvania.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dailywire.
