DGA Statement on Republicans’ Devastating Medicaid and Medicare Cuts

DGA Statement on Republicans’ Devastating Medicaid and Medicare Cuts

On the 61st anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, DGA Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper released the following statement:

“This anniversary of Medicaid and Medicare being signed into law is another key reminder that health care is a top issue on voters’ minds heading into governors’ races this fall. This is especially true as Republicans’ deep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare and refusal to expand Medicaid have denied working families health care, raised prices, and shut down rural hospitals. If they didn’t vote for historically devastating cuts in Congress themselves, many GOP candidates for governor are campaigning on promises to make even more ruthless cuts — worsening a crisis their party created. Democratic governors have proven that we can win in deep red and battleground states by outlining a vision to protect and expand health care, and this issue is going to be another major advantage for our candidates in November.”

See below for key examples on how Republicans running for governor are backing a devastating agenda to slash health care:

• There are over 56 million Americans on Medicaid in the 36 states with a race for governor in 2026.
• House Republicans and gubernatorial candidates Andy Biggs (AZ), Byron Donalds (FL), John James (MI), and Tom Tiffany (WI) voted to slash Medicaid and jack up health care costs.
• In Georgia, Rick Jackson wants to stop the state from expanding Medicaid, even though Trump’s budget law has already closed a maternal health care unit and caused half a million Georgians to lose their health care.
• In Iowa, Zach Lahn opposes Medicaid expansion entirely and has spent his career as a political operative fighting against it.
• In Ohio, Vivek Ramasway said Medicaid and Medicare were “mistakes” despite over 25% of Ohio’s population relying on Medicaid, 20% on relying on Medicare.
• In Oregon, Christine Drazan has consistently opposed efforts to expand access to health care and address health care costs for Oregonians – including voting to cut Medicaid.

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