Democrats go all in on health care, betting it's still a winning message for their flailing party

By Seth McLaughlin - The Washington Times - Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Democrats are making health care the centerpiece of their political comeback strategy after the disastrous 2024 elections.

They zeroed in on rising costs and access to coverage to move past the political headwinds they hit last cycle from transgender issues and the illegal immigration mess they helped create.

Congressional Democrats have taken a stand on health care by voting to shut down the government and are increasingly promoting the cause in campaigns across the U.S.

Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, told Virginia voters that President Trump’s signature legislation could lead to the closure of rural hospitals across the state.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat running for New Jersey governor, said Republican efforts are driving up health insurance costs and slashing Affordable Care Act subsidies. She said these moves will strip coverage from countless Americans.

New York mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani has condemned Republican proposals that he said would cut food assistance and impose new eligibility requirements that could deprive millions of New Yorkers of health care coverage.

Democrats have struggled to craft a cohesive, unifying message beyond their strident opposition to Mr. Trump, who secured a second term by campaigning on hard-line immigration policies, sweeping deportation promises, “America First” trade measures, a revival of domestic manufacturing and lower energy costs.

Mr. Trump also seized on cultural flash points. He frequently mocked Democrats over transgender issues, particularly the participation of biological men in female sports and the inclusion of transgender people in the military.

Within the Democratic Party, friction persists over ideological direction.

Some urged a bold shift leftward, embracing the vision of Mr. Mamdani, the democratic socialist who energized young voters and won the Democratic nomination in New York City’s mayoral race.

Others argue for a more centrist approach to win back moderate voters whom the party’s liberal wing has alienated.

As it stands, Democratic leaders in Washington have drawn a firm line in the sand over health care.

“The Democrats’ efforts to try to pivot to health care have been undermined by their relentless pursuit of trying to spend billions to pay through Medicaid the health care of millions of illegal aliens and able-bodied adults who refuse to work at the expense of hardworking taxpayers,” said Trump pollster John McLaughlin. “They have shut the government down to benefit illegal immigrants and people who refuse to work. They don’t represent us. They represent them.”

Democrats reject the claim and insist illegal immigrants are ineligible for federal subsidies under the law.

Yet some illegal immigrants are eligible, depending on how and when they entered the U.S. and their country of origin.

For example, those in the country under temporary protected status, some asylum-seekers, and those granted “parole” are eligible to join the Obamacare marketplaces and receive taxpayer-funded subsidies.

Nonetheless, Democrats believe public opinion is on their side. They cited recent KFF tracking polls showing broad support for extending enhanced COVID emergency subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. According to the data, 77% of Americans, including 80% of independents and 63% of Republicans, favor keeping the subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

KFF estimates that if Mr. Trump and Congress fail to renew the tax credits, average premiums for individuals who purchase their own insurance will spike by 75%. Roughly 4 million people could lose coverage over the next decade because of unaffordable costs.

Republicans reject an extension of the enhanced COVID-era health care subsidies, which have led to a surge in Obamacare enrollment. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, maintaining those subsidies would cost approximately $350 billion over the next decade.

Democrats, meanwhile, aren’t too fazed by the price tag.

Indeed, various wings of the party, including democratic socialist Sen. Bernard Sanders and establishment stalwart Hillary Clinton, have come together to support a reversal of Republican-led cuts to health care spending.

“You can quote me on this until the cows come home: I am not going to allow tens of thousands of fellow Americans to die because they are thrown off of health care,” Mr. Sanders said on CNN.

Mrs. Clinton, who lost to Mr. Trump in the 2016 election after defeating Mr. Sanders in a contentious Democratic primary, accused Mr. Trump of holding the “government hostage until Democrats agree to raise health care costs for millions of Americans and give him more unchecked power.”

Despite the high stakes, most Americans report hearing “little” or “nothing” about the looming expiration of these subsidies, a troubling sign for Democrats as they try to break through the noise in an increasingly polarized political climate.

That communication gap has raised concerns about whether their health-care-heavy message will resonate with voters.

Christy Setzer, a Democratic strategist, said she understands why Democratic leaders are focused on reminding voters that Mr. Trump has failed to deliver on his promise of lowering prices and that his support among low-income voters is eroding.

She said Democrats would otherwise have a “huge missed opportunity” to hold Mr. Trump and congressional Republican accountable for “the lawlessness, the military invasions of American cities with a ‘goon squad’ to rough up and imprison Americans, firing hundreds of thousands of federal workers, [and] a dead job market.”

“That sounds like a lot of different messages, but it comes down to, ‘With Trump, you are the enemy,’” she said.

Health care has been a central issue in recent midterm elections, especially as costs rise and coverage remains a concern for millions of Americans.

In 2010, Republicans swept into power after vowing to repeal and replace Obamacare. They renewed that commitment in 2014 on their way to expanding their House majority and flipping control of the Senate.

In 2018, Democrats flipped more than 40 House seats to gain control of the House after voters identified health care as the top challenge facing the country, followed by immigration and the economy.

Mr. Trump and congressional Republicans have expressed interest in fixing the health care system. They also blame Democrats for the system’s shortcomings, saying Democrats foisted Obamacare on the American people and failed to fix it when they had the opportunity.

• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.