Posted on 06/16/2014 7:31:18 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The focus of most political observers has been on the primary elections in Virginia last week, and for good reason. But a timezone away, there was another important primary taking place in Arkansas. There, one of the Republican architects of the state’s “private option” Medicaid expansion proposal, state Rep. John Burris, was vying for a state Senate seat that was also being contested by newcomer Scott Flippo. Like Virginia, candidate spending was lopsided with the presumed favorite Burris heavily outspending the challenger. But in the end, the race appears to have hinged on one thing above all else: Burris’ Obamacaid stance.
Burris — one of the architects of the expansion program — was proud of his support for the “PO,” trying to make the case here in Mountain Home that, without it, Baxter Regional Hospital would be in serious financial jeopardy. Burris recently told me he never shied away from his support for the Obamacare expansion (although he did tell voters on one voter’s guide that he opposed the program).
On the Flippo side, opposition to the Obamacare expansion was a central component of the campaign from the very beginning. Flippo also drew voters’ attention to Burris’s support of Common Core and his vote to extend term limits, but ultimately, the Obamacare expansion — and Obamacare in general — was the most prominent issue in the race.
Scott Flippo defeated state Rep. John Burris in Tuesday’s GOP runoff for state Senate District 17. Burris is a former House Republican leader. There’s no Democrat running for the seat in the November election.
Flippo had cast the race as a referendum on Arkansas’ private option plan to use federal Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance for the poor. Burris helped craft the plan and urged House members to approve it as an alternative to expanding Medicaid under the federal health law.
Flippo had the backing of Republican lawmakers who are vowing to reject funding for the program next year.
Arkansas has long been cast as a red state model for implementing Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, but it seems the political sands are shifting there as the practical and fiscal realities of the “private option” come into sharper focus.
Even in a state like Missouri where Obamacare has not yet been implemented by the legislature, the political consequences of a Republican trying to implement Obamacare are stark. (emphasis mine)
But as [Republican state Rep. Noel] Torpey outlined it Friday, the politics of Medicaid in Missouri are straightforward. Three years ago legislators voted on health exchanges, also part of Obamacare and the means by which millions of Americans since have bought health insurance.
In the Missouri House, four representatives who voted for that subsequently lost races for the Senate.
“They lost on that vote and that vote alone,” Torpey said.
Legislators considering upcoming elections haven’t forgotten the risks of being portrayed as supporting the ACA.
“And it’s effective in campaigns, unfortunately,” Torpey said.
Well, duh. It’s effective in campaigns because folks don’t want the Obamacare exchanges or the Obamacaid expansion, despite how hard some elected officials are pushing for it. Politicians can rebrand Obamacaid as a “Medicaid transformation” or an “alternative” or strap Medicaid expansion spending bombs to substantive Medicaid reforms and say the reforms won’t come without Obamacare, but that doesn’t change the fact that the issue is political poison in a Republican primary, whether state legislators ultimately pass it or not.
Which is why last week’s Arkansas primary is so important. Even in a political environment where one would think local Republicans could get away with an Obamacare vote, it turns out it isn’t that easy. Burris found that out the hard way. Who’s next?
This Obamacare expansion has been supported by Republican governors in Indiana and my state, under the banners of “Healthy Indiana” and “Healthy Pennsylvania”.
Governor Mike Pence of Indiana and Governor Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania are trying to have their cake and eat it too by pretending to be against Obamacare while rolling out their own GOPe versions of Medicaid expansion.
I see some sleazy politics in it because the use of private insurance companies for Medicaid by the Republican run states means money for the companies and I strongly suspect campaign contributions being kicked back to the Republican politicians.
That’s how GOPe politicians work in states they run. The Republicans contract out big government programs to private companies that line the politicians pockets with campaign money.
I predict that the worst has not yet come for Commie Care supporters. When the rationing starts killing patients with treatable conditions, the relatives of these patients will be out for vingance. Lets call it the health gap between the controllers and the dead.
good news. ar is one of those states where conservatives can pick up one in preparation for the future Convention of States. bon voyage burris.
Corbett appears to everything possible to lose the election and hand our state over to the Dims...
Have you had an unwavering conservative in statewide office in PA since 1950? I know some were fooled by Toomey in that regard.
No... but Corbett isn’t an “activist” either. Hasn’t messed with PA gun rights.
Toomey ... I don’t know what the hell he was thinking, teaming up Manchin. Overall, I think he’s a decent guy, but like every other politician, you have to keep an eye on him, and a hand on your wallet.
The best I hope for these days is gridlock. Whenever they cooperate, we the people get screwed.
And I sure as hell do not want to see another Democrat governor in PA with this lunatic AG we currently have.
What happened to Mike Pence? I thought he was a straight shooter, one of us? Was he ever considered a Conservative, or is he just a Republican?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.