NEW REPORT: Senate Republicans’ Lawsuit to Strike Down ACA Toxic With Swing Voters

ACA’s Benefits “Hugely Popular with Independents,” Lawsuit “May Alienate the Independent Voters Who Can Swing” the Election

A new Kaiser Family Foundation report this morning reveals that the Republican lawsuit to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act, which would eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions and kick an estimated 20 million Americans off their health insurance, will likely “alienate the independent voters.” Even worse for Senate Republicans who have enabled this toxic lawsuit, the data shows that “going after popular ACA consumer protections may even create some vulnerability” among Republican voters. The new report is the latest evidence that the GOP’s crusade to attack pre-existing conditions coverage protections, Medicaid expansion, and other health care benefits while giving the richest 0.1% a massive tax windfall is deeply toxic with swing voters across the country.

Every Republican senator voted for the GOP tax bill that set this reckless lawsuit in motion. Even now, in the middle of a pandemic that has left millions of Americans unemployed and newly uninsured, not one Republican incumbent or candidate has taken meaningful steps to stop the Republican-led lawsuit against the ACA –– and they still have “no plan” to help the millions of Americans who would lose coverage if the popular health care law is struck down. 

Check out what Republicans have said defending this toxic GOP lawsuit:

• Senator Dan Sullivan (AK) was a self-proclaimed lead attorney general in a previous legal effort to overturn the ACA and supports a repeal of the health care law.

• Senator Martha McSally (AZ) says it’s “not my role” to oppose the lawsuit and has “spent years waging war against the Affordable Care Act,” voting at least five times to undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

• Senator Cory Gardner (CO) initially dodged questions about the lawsuit before endorsing the GOP’s argument that the health care law is unconstitutional.

• Senator David Perdue (GA) has said “I support the president in his attempt” to strike down the Affordable Care Act.

• Senator Kelly Loeffler (GA) has said she supports President Trump’s agenda – which includes this lawsuit – “100%.”

• Congressman Doug Collins (GA) repeatedly voted to repeal the health care law and gut pre-existing conditions protections in the House.

• Senator Joni Ernst (IA) has dodged questions about the lawsuit with answers like “I’m not saying whether I support it or not” and “I am not an attorney” despite a long history of voting to tear down the health care law and bragging about having the “courage” to gut coverage protections that Iowans with pre-existing conditions rely on.

• Senator Mitch McConnell (KY) has led Senate Republicans in their efforts to repeal the health care law and stack the federal courts with anti-health care judges.

• Senator Susan Collins (ME) helped pass the reckless GOP tax plan that laid the foundation for her party’s dangerous lawsuit and even said she “would support it again today” — Collins also cast the deciding vote last year in a key Senate committee to block a study on the impact of the GOP’s lawsuit.

• Failed politician John James (MI) has called the ACA a “monstrosity” and vowed to “work [his] tail off” to repeal the law that guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions.

• Senator Steve Daines (MT) confirmed through a spokesperson last month that the senator “supports whatever mechanism” against the Affordable Care Act, including the lawsuit, after dodging the question in the past.

• Senator Thom Tillis (NC) embraced the lawsuit and explained: “I support anything that ultimately takes [the ACA] off the table.”

• Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) “vowed” to follow through on repeal of the ACA if Republicans win the 2020 election.

• Senator John Cornyn (TX) is among “the ACA’s most relentless opponents” and was “repeal’s top salesman,” and he has dodged questions on the lawsuit by saying things like: “I support having the courts make the decision.”

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