It’s been nearly two weeks since a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, urged the administration to reopen the ACA health care exchanges, yet Congressman Davis still refuses to stand up for his constituents. The Belleville News-Democrat’s Kelsey Landis makes clear what we know: Davis’s refusal to fight for affordable, accessible health care – even during a global pandemic – will cost him his seat.
Back for a 2020 rematch, Londrigan said health care will be on the ballot again in November, especially as COVID-19 has only heightened concerns about access and affordability.
The virus, which had infected 17,887 Illinoisans and taken 596 lives as of Friday, is expected to make razor-thin margins even thinner.
“Health care has been the overarching issue and it will continue to be the overarching issue,” Londrigan said. “This pandemic has amplified that this is going to remain the number one thing on people’s minds.”
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Londrigan, 48, a self-employed nonprofit advisor from Springfield, has repeatedly called on Davis to urge the Trump administration to temporarily reopen Affordable Care Act, or ACA, enrollment so coronavirus patients have access to insurance.
“When we have a simple process for people to get insurance, why on Earth would you not reopen it and allow people to purchase insurance?” Londrigan said.
Davis has so far said he would follow the president’s lead. He said reopening enrollment would not help people who can’t afford to pay premiums or take on medical debt, though he added he would be open to discussing the idea with the president’s administration.
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But Davis’ alignment with the Trump administration response to the crisis will put him out-of-favor with “never-Trumper” Republican and moderate Democrats, said Jaimey Sexton, a Democratic political consultant from Chicago.
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The president pushed responsibility for acquiring medical equipment onto the states in an effort to shed blame for shortages, Sexton said. Americans who would typically throw their support behind the president during a crisis have not done so this time around, he added.
Regardless of whether voters side with Davis or his Democratic challenger, the national narrative will set the tone for November, Sexton said. […] “But it’s going to be, ‘OK, Rodney Davis has fallen in line with the Trump administration. What has that done for me?’”