Alaskans Act would codify the Medicaid expansion, already in effect due to an executive order by Governor Bill Walker. Both initiatives were withdrawn from the ballot in December 2017. Supporters cited uncertainty in healthcare policy at the federal level as the reason for the withdrawal. 2020 U.S. Senate campaign On July 2, 2019, Gross announced he would run as an independent in the 2020 U.S. Senate election in Alaska. He won the August Democratic primary against Democrat Edgar Blatchford and Independent Chris Cumings, gaining the nomination of the Alaska Democratic Party, which had endorsed him before the filing deadline. Gross ran as an independent against Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan. He had the support of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and The Lincoln Project. Gross said, "I stepped up to do this because the Alaska economy has been failing, we’ve been losing Alaskans to the Lower 48 for the past few years, and despite that labor loss, we had the highest unemployment in the country." The Daily Beast argued that Alaska "flirts with purple-state status" in part due to Gross's candidacy. There was speculation that the political fallout of the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court nomination could dampen support for incumbent Sullivan and benefit Gross's campaign. More than a week after the election, Sullivan's reelection in what was expected to be a close race was affirmed. In October 2021, Gross ran for Hospital Board in Petersburg, Alaska and finished fourth. 2022 U.S. House campaign On March 28, 2022, Gross announced he would run as an independent candidate for Alaska's at-large congressional seat that was vacated upon the death of Congressman Don Young. Although he won third place and the opportunity to compete in the general election, he withdrew on June 20, 2022. Political positions Despite receiving the Alaska Democratic Party's endorsement, Gross is an independent politician and says he is closer to Republicans on "issues like guns and immigration". Gross supports an overhaul of Medicare, including the addition of a public option. He also supports raising the minimum wage, defending collective bargaining rights for workers and unions, efforts to make college more affordable and accessible, and earlier tracking into trade schools. Citing his background in science, Gross supports policies that address climate change, including the growth of renewable energy and opposition to the Pebble Mine project. He also supports ending Citizens United and