GOP Senate candidate doesn't want to talk about health care — only "things that matter"

Rep. Martha McSally was caught lying about pre-existing conditions

Published October 25, 2018 5:23PM (EDT)

FILE - In this April 23, 2013 file photo retired Air Force Col. Martha McSally testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. Republicans will have their largest U.S. House majority in 83 years when the new Congress convenes next month after a recount in Arizona gave the final outstanding race to the Republican challenger McSally who won a House seat over Democrat Ron Barber by 167 votes out of about 220,000 cast, results released Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, show. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) (AP)
FILE - In this April 23, 2013 file photo retired Air Force Col. Martha McSally testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. Republicans will have their largest U.S. House majority in 83 years when the new Congress convenes next month after a recount in Arizona gave the final outstanding race to the Republican challenger McSally who won a House seat over Democrat Ron Barber by 167 votes out of about 220,000 cast, results released Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, show. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) (AP)

This article originally appeared on AlterNet.

Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), the Arizona GOP's candidate for Senate, recently joined the growing ranks of Republicans who are now trying to pretend they care about preserving health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

But when a reporter caught up with McSally and cornered her on her lie, her response was revealing.

"Dennis, can we please talk about the things that matter to most voters, instead of repeating the Arizona Democrat Party press releases?" she said. She added, "Do you have anything to talk about like the caravan or job opportunities?"

Watch below:

Contrary to McSally's dismissal, polling shows that health care is the most important issue to Arizona voters, rated high above immigration or the economy.

And furthermore, if health care is such a trivial issue, there would have been no reason for McSally to brazenly lie about her position on it.

In a new ad released this week, McSally claimed she is "leading the fight" to "force insurers to cover pre-existing conditions." But there is no "fight" to "force insurers" to do that, because the Affordable Care Act already forces them to — and the only people trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act are Republicans.

In fact, McSally has been leading that fight. Last year, she voted for a bill that would have let insurers jack up prices on people with pre-existing conditions — and told her Republican colleagues in the House conference meeting they had to get this "fucking thing" passed.

It is a matter of hard fact, not opinion, that McSally's ad was a lie. And not only is she refusing to engage with the truth, she is refusing to even acknowledge the truth matters.

McSally is currently locked in a tight race with Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, a former attorney and social worker who rose from childhood poverty. Arizona's Senate seat is being vacated by the retiring Sen. Jeff Flake.

 


By Matthew Chapman

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Affordable Care Act Alternet Gop Candidates Health Care Martha Mcsally Pre-existing Conditions