#VoteThemOut: Defeat House Republicans who opposed Medicaid expansion

SUM Working Group C2A

THE ISSUE

Last November, Maine became the first state in the country to expand Medicaid by voter referendum, and July 2, Medicaid expansion became the law of the land. Under the voter-approved expansion, 70,000 Mainers—including 3,000 veterans—will gain access to critical health care and the state will receive a windfall of $500 million new federal health care dollars and an estimated 6,000 new jobs. Despite this, Gov. LePage has stalled on funding the state’s share of expansion. In the spring, the Legislature passed LD 837, a $60 million bipartisan bill that fully funds Medicaid expansion for the first year, using funds from a budget surplus and a portion of Maine’s share of the tobacco settlement. As expected, the governor vetoed the bill—the seventh time he’s vetoed Medicaid expansion legislation since taking office. On July 9, 58 House Republicans—most of whom are up for re-election—voted to sustain LePage’s veto. The fate of Medicaid expansion is now in the hands of the courts. Meanwhile, most of the 58 Republicans who ignored Maine voters are on the campaign trail. Find your legislators on the Legislature website and read the roll call to see how they voted on LD 837.

THE ACTION

These 58 House Republicans are the latest in a long line of legislators who ignore Maine voters. Help #VoteThemOut by volunteering for their opponents’ campaigns. Find candidates’ contact info in this Google sheet.