Chuck Schumer: Obamacare a ‘Gift’ for Democrats in 2018 Midterms

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told MSNBC in an interview on Friday that Obamacare will serve as a “gift” for Democrats in the 2018 midterms.

“Mitch McConnell gave us a gift in the last three days. He showed who the Republican party really is,” referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) comment that they could pursue Obamacare repeal should Republicans hold the House and the Senate after the midterms.

Schumer said that Democrats continue to run “neck and neck” with Republicans for the Senate majority; however, the leading Senate Democrats contend that McConnell’s comment that they could return to Obamacare repeal gives Democrats an edge in the tight midterm elections.

“That’s a game changer. What McConnell did in the last three days is a game changer for us,” Schumer suggested. “McConnell gave us a gift. That’s a game changer when he shows who he is and wants to really hurt people on health care.”

After the contentious confirmation process of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Democrats pivoted towards attacking Republicans over their alleged plan to remove Obamacare protections for patients with pre-existing conditions.

Schumer said that they will make health care a centerpiece of their elections across the country. The New York Democrat noted Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) as one of the primary targets on health care, accusing the Nevada Republican of flip-flopping on Obamacare repeal after suggesting he would not back repeal-and-replace efforts.

In contrast to Schumer’s point, Sen. Heller helped lead the charge and worked with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Ron Johnson (R-WI) to revive Obamacare repeal last year, which almost passed through the Senate last year.

Democrats on the campaign trail will attack Republicans over their positions on pre-existing conditions, putting them in a position to defend the Affordable Care Act which has led to historic increases in health insurance premiums.

Individual Obamacare insurance premiums more than doubled from $2,784 in 2013 to $5,712.

Sen. Cassidy told Breitbart News in an interview this week that Democrats will continue to defend the “absence of affordability.”

The Lousiana Republican said that Republicans will continue to advocate for “lowering costs, while protecting pre-existing conditions so that middle-class families actually have health insurance.”

Sen. Heller leads Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) in three separate polls released in October. An Emerson College survey had Sen. Heller leading by seven points.

Across several midterm races, especially in Nevada, Schumer contended that Democrats’ closing message focus on health care.

“What we have found [is] in states where we thought we’d be way behind, we’re next and neck. In states where we thought it would be neck and neck, we’re way ahead. We’re doing much better than anyone thinks, in a very tough map,” Schumer explained.

“We’re closing on that issue, and it’s going to help us just have victory in state after state after state, including places that people didn’t expect,” Schumer added.