Today’s POLITICO story, “GOP’s Midterm Peril: What If They Win on Killing Obamacare?,” laid bare the confounding position Republican Senate candidates have put themselves in in the face of consistent, overwhelming public support for protections for people with pre-existing conditions — and with health care remaining a top issue for voters. Even though they’ve voted numerous times to eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions, have filed a lawsuit to eliminate these protections, or said they support total repeal of these protections, they hypocritically declare their “support” of the very same protections their actions would take away.
Patrick Morrissey Is Party to the Trump-GOP Lawsuit That Would Get Rid of Protections for People with Pre-existing Conditions, But Wants Voters to Believe He Supports These Protections. “Similarly, Morrisey said he supports pre-existing protection coverage despite being party to the lawsuit that would eliminate the law providing those protections. ‘You can believe that some of the pieces, helping those who need it most, are good but still have a lawsuit to get rid of the awful policy of Obamacare,’ Morrisey said.” [Politico, 8/17/18]
Kevin Cramer Supports The Trump-GOP Lawsuit That Would Get Rid of Protections for People with Pre-existing Conditions — and Voted Repeatedly to Eliminate Them — But Wants Voters to Believe He Nevertheless Supports The Protections. “Both Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley and Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) say they support protecting pre-existing conditions, though Hawley is a party to the lawsuit and Cramer supports it, saying: ‘Who doesn’t want the constitutionality of something reviewed?'” [Politico, 8/17/18]
Mike Braun Supports “Anything” to Get Rid Of the Affordable Care Act, Including the Lawsuit, and Says Congress Should Then Pass the Very Same Protections (When All Four Major Senate GOP Repeal Bills Would Have Eliminated Them). “‘Sure, anything that’s going to actually get rid of it, yes,’ said Indiana GOP Senate nominee Mike Braun of the GOP lawsuit to gut the law in an interview in Mishawaka. ‘And then be ready to come back and talk about what you’re ready to do about pre-existing conditions and no limits on coverage. That’s where you don’t hear much conservative talk.'” [Politico, 8/17/18]
Josh Hawley, Party To The Trump-GOP Lawsuit, Said The Senate Would Act to Protect People With Pre-Existing Conditions If His Suit Was Successful, Even Though All Four Major Senate GOP Repeal Bills Would Have Eliminated Them. “Hawley says he supports protecting pre-existing conditions as well as allowing children to stay on their parents’ plans until the age of 25. And he says if the lawsuit is successful and Obamacare is scuttled, the Senate must act to keep those provisions and rewrite healthcare laws. ‘The Senate is not doing its job. There’s no doubt about that. Claire McCaskill is a huge part of the problem,’ said Hawley. Next year, Hawley says replacing Obamacare ‘has got to be a top priority.'” [Politico, 8/17/18]
Dean Heller Refused To Talk About The Trump-GOP Lawsuit, While Also Declining to Join Senate Democrats in Defending the Law In Court. “And vulnerable incumbent Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) refused to talk about the lawsuit on Thursday, though his office said he support pre-existing condition protections.” [Politico, 8/17/18]
Marsha Blackburn Refused To Talk About The Trump-GOP Lawsuit. “Several GOP candidates have not addressed the issue directly, wary that supporting the lawsuit will undermine Republicans’ stance that they stand to protect pre-existing conditions. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said she still supports getting ‘the whole [Obamacare] thing off the books.’ but declined to weigh in on the lawsuit.” [Politico, 8/17/18]