Nan Hayworth

Nan Hayworth – Life, Career, and Public Service

Learn about Nan Hayworth (born December 14, 1959), the American ophthalmologist, Republican politician, former U.S. Representative from New York, and her contributions to health and public life.

Introduction

Nan Alison Hayworth (née Sutter) is an American physician and former politician best known for serving one term as the U.S. Representative for New York’s 19th congressional district (2011-2013). Her career bridges medicine and public service; she brought her experience as an ophthalmologist to debates on health policy, fiscal responsibility, and local issues.

In the following sections, we’ll explore her early life, medical career, political journey, influence, characteristics, and some memorable statements.

Early Life and Family

Nan Alison Sutter was born on December 14, 1959, in Chicago, Illinois. Munster, Indiana, where she attended local schools.

Her parents had ties to military service: both were veterans of World War II.

Nan attended Munster High School, graduating in 1977.

She met her husband, Scott Hayworth, while at Princeton. The two married in 1981 and have two sons.

Education and Medical Career

Nan Hayworth earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Princeton University in 1981, graduating with a senior thesis entitled “Studies of the Interphase Development of Dictyostelium discoideum on Gradients of Cyclic 3':5'-Adenosine Monophosphate in Agar.”

She then pursued medical studies at Cornell University Medical College, completing her M.D. in 1985.

For many years, she practiced as an ophthalmologist. From 1989 to 2005, she was in clinical practice, initially in solo practice and later in partnership with the Mount Kisco Medical Group.

In 2007, she took on a role as vice president and medical director in a health care communications agency.

Political Career

Entry into Politics & 2010 Election

Though Hayworth’s professional identity was in medicine, she began to engage more overtly in public affairs after the 2008 election cycle. She later recounted her growing concern about shifts in national character and policy, and a push from her family and colleagues to consider public office. New York's 19th district as a Republican.

In the 2010 Republican primary, she defeated Neil DiCarlo with about 69% of the vote.

As a result, she entered the 112th Congress, taking office on January 3, 2011.

Tenure in Congress

During her term, Hayworth focused largely on fiscal issues, tax policy, limiting federal spending, and health care reform.

She served on the House Financial Services Committee, and its subcommittees on Capital Markets & Government-Sponsored Enterprises; Domestic Monetary Policy & Technology; and Oversight & Investigations.

She also sponsored or co-sponsored bills such as the Burdensome Data Collection Relief Act, aiming to roll back certain regulatory >Commuter Savings Act of 2012, offering incentives to mass-transit users.

On matters of disaster relief, following Hurricane Irene in 2011, she initially aligned with colleagues urging that new relief funding be offset by budget cuts elsewhere, though she later advocated for assistance to affected localities.

In Congress, she also sought to foster cross-party collaboration. She helped found the Congressional Common Ground Caucus, intended to bring members of divergent views into civil conversations.

2012 and 2014 Elections

Following the 2010 Census, New York’s congressional map was redrawn. Hayworth’s district was renumbered as the 18th district, and became more politically competitive.

In the 2012 election, Hayworth ran for re-election in the 18th district but lost to Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney by a margin of about 52% to 48%.

She challenged Maloney again in 2014. Although she secured the Republican, Conservative, and Independence party nominations, she was again defeated by Maloney.

Legacy and Influence

While her tenure in Congress was brief, Nan Hayworth’s intersection of medicine and politics remains notable. She is often cited as the only female physician to have served as a voting Member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Her advocacy for fiscal restraint, health care reform, and cross-party dialogue reflect the concerns of a reform-minded Republican in a competitive district. Some have viewed her as part of a cadre of physician-politicians bringing clinical perspectives to policy debates.

Post-Congress, she has remained active in public discourse, appearing as a commentator on television and taking roles in nonprofit and advisory capacities. ConservAmerica, where she serves in executive or board roles.

Her career offers a reminder that professionals outside politics—especially in health care—can cross into public service, bringing domain expertise to legislative debate.

Personality, Skills & Traits

Nan Hayworth is often portrayed as earnest, principled, and intellectually rigorous. Her medical background lends credibility to her approach to health policy and public well-being. Because she entered politics later in life, she carried the persona of a citizen-legislator rather than a career politician.

Her willingness to collaborate across party lines (e.g. through the Common Ground Caucus) suggests she valued dialogue over purely ideological combat. Her record shows a consistent focus on fiscal responsibility, regulatory transparency, and medical policy grounded in professional experience.

She has also endured personal hardship: in November 2021, she publicly announced the tragic death of her son John.

Notable Quotes & Statements

• On her congressional role: “I am here to fight for what is best for my constituents … I am here to serve them and not any party or ideology.”

• On the Affordable Care Act: she argued that the law “increases spending, raises taxes, and destroys jobs.”

Because she was not a prolific writer or public intellectual in the same way as lifelong authors or philosophic politicians, she does not have a large corpus of pithy, widely quoted aphorisms. But her statements during her campaign and term reflect consistent themes of service, fiscal discipline, health policy grounded in professional insight, and constituent focus.

Lessons & Reflections

1. Expertise can inform governance. Nan Hayworth’s medical career gave her authority on health and regulatory topics — blending domain knowledge with legislative action.

2. Crossing from profession to politics is feasible. Her transition reminds us that public service is accessible to professionals who believe in civic engagement.

3. Principled stances carry risk in competitive districts. Her emphasis on fiscal conservatism and health reform resonated with some voters but placed her in difficult electoral terrain after redistricting.

4. Dialogue matters. Her efforts at bipartisan cooperation (e.g. Common Ground Caucus) show an attempt to rise above gridlock.

5. Life includes both public triumphs and personal trials. Her public career is set against the backdrop of private joys and sorrows, reminding us that public figures remain fully human.

Conclusion

Nan Hayworth exemplifies a path from professional life (in medicine) to political service. In her single term in Congress, she brought her ophthalmologic expertise into debates on health, budgeting, regulation, and constituent rights. Although she did not secure re-election, her presence as a woman physician in the House remains distinctive.

If you’d like, I can assemble a full list of her legislative proposals, speeches, or more detailed policy analysis. Would you like me to do that?