Statewide Democratic Ticket: Healthcare Is On The Ballot

Press Release

Today, JB Pritzker, Kwame Raoul, Susana Mendoza, Jesse White, and Mike Frerichs held a press conference highlighting the contrast between Democrats and Republicans on healthcare and urging Illinoisans to head to the polls.

"One thing is very clear in this election: Democrats think healthcare is a right while Republicans think healthcare is a privilege," said JB Pritzker. "If you need proof, look no further than Bruce Rauner. When Donald Trump and Washington Republicans tried to take away healthcare from a million Illinoisans, Bruce Rauner stayed silent. In August, he vetoed a bill to protect Illinoisans from junk healthcare plans, allowing insurance companies to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. When state legislators passed HB 40 to protect the right to choose, Bruce Rauner waffled. This failed governor played politics with the health and safety of this state and communities paid the price -- time and again. When I'm governor, we'll expand healthcare coverage with my plan IllinoisCares, and we'll stand up to Trump and anyone who wants to roll back affordable heathcare. Let's vote to make Illinois the standard for what healthcare can be and must be."

"Democrats running up and down the ballot are sending a strong message to voters across our state: we will protect your healthcare while Donald Trump and Republicans try to take it away," said state Sen. Kwame Raoul, Democratic candidate for AG. "Attorneys general across the country are stepping up and fighting back against these attacks in district court, but just this week, my opponent Erika Harold admitted she wouldn't defend people with pre-existing conditions in this case. The consequence of doing nothing would leave millions of Illinoisans without healthcare coverage. As a cancer survivor, this is personal to me, and I'm running for attorney general to fight for all of us. Get out and vote on November 6."

"We've never had a president who has attacked women's rights to the degree this one has. On Tuesday, women are ready to fight back," said Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza. "We're ready to grab "em by the polls and elect good people into office who will fight for a woman's right to choose and affordable healthcare for all. Bruce Rauner spent four years struggling to dismantle Illinois' health care system. He has waffled on a woman's right to choose and Erika Harold has some of the most anti-choice views out there. Illinoisans are ready to choose JB Pritzker and Kwame Raoul. It's entirely clear that we need a governor and an attorney general with a moral compass who will fight for families who rely on quality, affordable healthcare. That governor and attorney general will be JB Pritzker and Kwame Raoul, and it's absolutely vital that Illinoisans vote for them and every Democrat on the ballot."

"All across this state, we're seeing voters rise up and get active because they know one simple thing: our healthcare is under threat," said Secretary of State Jesse White. "Just earlier this week it was announced we've had a larger early vote turnout than all of 2014, and we're on pace to match 2016. It's happening because we have a statewide ticket that's going to fight tirelessly to protect our healthcare. Myself, Treasurer Frerichs, Comptroller Mendoza, Kwame Raoul and JB Pritzker will never back down when Donald Trump attacks pre-existing conditions, and we'll always stand up and say "no' when Congressional Republicans work to slash coverage for millions in our state. But to make this happen, to send us to Springfield, we need every Illinoisan to get to the polls and make their voice heard."

"Democrats know that healthcare is a right, not a privilege, but the Republicans that represent Illinois in Congress seem to think otherwise," said Treasurer Mike Frerichs. "Here in Illinois, Trump has reliable votes to pass his extreme agenda like attacking healthcare for millions of Illinoisans. Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren, Rodney Davis, and Mike Bost have voted time after time to repeal the Affordable Care Act which would do away with protections for people with pre-existing conditions. It's no wonder they won't hold town halls. Lauren Underwood, Sean Casten, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, and Brendan Kelly deserve your votes. And so do JB Pritzker, Juliana Stratton, Kwame Raoul and Democrats up and down the ticket. We have 4 days left. Don't sit on the sidelines. Go vote."

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