The Sound of Silence: Trumpcare Puts the Squeeze on Ohio Gov Candidates
The Sound of Silence: Trumpcare Puts the Squeeze on Ohio Gov Candidates
DeWine, Taylor, Husted, and Renacci silent on healthcare proposal
The GOP health care bill has sent Ohio’s four GOP gubernatorial candidates running for the hills.
In a sign of the political trouble of Trumpcare, the Republicans running for governor in this Medicaid expansion state have ducked, dodged and hidden from comment on whether they support or oppose the bill.
- Rep. Jim Renacci wants to wait for “the Congressional Budget Office score to be publicly available” before commenting.
- Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor “doesn’t want to just throw out a sound bite” and would “love to have another opportunity to weigh in on the future.”
- Secretary of State Jon Husted gave a lengthy statement with no opinion on the current bill, only requesting that the federal government: “send us the money and give us the freedom to serve as many people as we can.”
- And Attorney General Mike DeWine – who sued the federal government over Obamacare – has been completely silent this week on the health care bill.
Meanwhile, one of Trumpcare’s loudest GOP critics has been Governor Kasich, who said he “doesn’t like” the new plan. With more than 700,000 Ohioans covered by Medicaid expansion, the federal funding cuts in the proposed bill would be unsustainable for the state.
“Pinning down a Ohio Republican candidate on health care is like pinning Jello to the wall,” said DGA Communications Director Jared Leopold. “It’s time for these four candidates to pick a side: Do they support the GOP health care bill or not? Ohioans deserve answers from these candidates, not more ducking and evasion.”
###