Opinion/ Guest View: NH Republicans turn their backs on Granite Staters by supporting Trump’s ACA repeal

When Republicans gathered maskless and close at the Rockingham County Republican “Chowderfest,” the candidates stumping there talked about a lot of things. But one issue that’s been notably absent from Republicans’ lips -- especially in the midst of a global pandemic -- is how they’ll ensure Granite Staters have access to affordable health care. That’s because instead of having a plan to improve health care, Republicans want to do the opposite: terminate the Affordable Care Act, kick 105,000 people in New Hampshire off their health care plans, and end protections for 572,000 Granite Staters with pre-existing conditions. While Democrats are leading on this issue, Republicans are dragging their feet and turning their backs on Granite Staters.

First, it’s not just Donald Trump who is trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would have a disastrous impact on New Hampshire, but also every Republican running up and down the New Hampshire ballot. Donald Trump tried to ram through legislation to end the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and kick millions off their health care in 2017, and Governor Chris Sununu endorsed his efforts. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan helped lead the bipartisan opposition that blocked GOP repeal efforts. Now Trump is in court suing to kill the health care law. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Corky Messner has endorsed Trump’s lawsuit, even though it would threaten protections for more than half a million people in New Hampshire with pre-existing conditions like asthma and diabetes.

Republican U.S. House candidate Matt Mowers backs Trump’s attacks on Granite Staters’ health care too. The fact is, every Republican on the ballot supports Trump’s efforts to gut the ACA and health protections for vulnerable people across the country. And they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal.

Second, not only do these Republicans want to repeal, they want to stack the courts with right-wing justices so they can do even more damage. Messner endorses the president’s lawsuit to repeal the ACA. He also would be a rubber stamp for Trump’s destructive health policies and vote to confirm any dangerous Supreme Court justice nominee that Trump puts forward. We know that SCOTUS is on the line this election, Trump is working to stack the courts against us, and his lawsuit to dismantle the ACA will be before the Supreme Court soon, and then the fates of thousands of Granite Staters will be decided.

In the race for Congress, Trump’s former staff member Matt Mowers opposes expanding Medicaid which currently provides health care to 50,000 people in New Hampshire. Without Medicaid Expansion, addiction treatment would become out-of-reach for our most vulnerable Granite Staters. And in the corner office, we have a self-described “Trump guy through and through” in Sununu who has shown us his disregard for our health through his actions: supporting large maskless Trump rallies, mismanaging our state’s coronavirus relief funds, and eliminating the prescription drug relief program for low-income seniors, who are among the hardest hit by the pandemic.

We are facing threats to our health at every level, and Granite Staters need leaders in Concord and Washington who will fight for our health care—not ones who will sell us out to Trump.

Jeanne Shaheen is championing health care in the U.S. Senate, leading efforts to lower health care costs and protect Granite Staters with pre-existing conditions, and delivering millions in coronavirus relief to New Hampshire hospitals and health workers. Chris Pappas cast the pivotal vote to expand Medicaid while serving on the Executive Council. Now he is fighting for Granite Staters in the U.S. House of Representatives by working to end tax handouts for pharmaceutical companies, protect the Affordable Care Act, and lower prescription drug costs. And Dan Feltes will be a good Governor on the health care front. He has shown us his chops in our State Senate where he’s fought for lower drug prices, paid family and medical leave, and waiving health insurance costs for COVID-19 testing and treatment.

The November election is in less than 50 days, and make no mistake: health care is on the ballot. Messner, Mowers, Sununu, and Trump disregard science-based actions to stop the spread of the virus and mislead voters on their dangerous health care repeal policies.

We Democrats will be mobilizing to re-elect Senator Shaheen and Representative Pappas, and to elect Dan Feltes Governor because they are all fighting to make health care more affordable.

In November, Granite Staters have a choice: they can vote for Democrats who will fight to protect people with pre-existing conditions, lower prescription drug costs, and make health care more accessible and affordable for all - or they can vote for Republicans from Donald Trump to Chris Sununu to Corky Messner to Matt Mowers who are all trying to repeal health care and let insurance companies write the rules again.

Larry Drake of Portsmouth is chairman of the Rockingham County Democrats. The views expressed are those of the writer.