Commentary: Despite the Republican failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, New Mexicans will never forget that Congressman Steve Pearce voted to take health care away from thousands of his own constituents.
Congressman Pearce, a far-right conservative ideologue, voted for the House version of the health care bill the back in May, calling it a “step in the right direction.”
New Mexicans know that’s just not true.
In reality, Pearce voted to:
- Take coverage from nearly 300,000 New Mexicans, by gutting Medicaid funding.
- Shift $427 million of Medicaid costs onto New Mexico’s budget.
- Hike premiums for older and poorer New Mexicans.
- Kill health care jobs across the state.
- Devastate rural health care infrastructure forcing many rural hospitals to close.
- Bankrupt hospitals by increasing uncompensated costs.
Now Pearce is running for governor. As he travels the state, he will have to justify his vote to every single person he meets.
“As long as he remains in public life, Rep. Steve Pearce will never escape his vote to strip health care from New Mexicans,” said Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Richard Ellenberg. “Pearce showed every New Mexican his true colors as an extreme conservative, more worried about politics than working families. This vote alone disqualifies Pearce in his run for governor and we will never let him forget it.”
