GOPer Tillis Suggests North Carolina Should Consider Expanding Medicaid

North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Thom Tillis makes a comment during a live televised debate at WECT studios in Wilmington, N.C., Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool)
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North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in the state, suggested that the state should consider expanding Medicaid during a debate on Tuesday night.

The debate included Tillis and Libertarian candidate Sean Haugh but not Tillis’s main rival, incumbent Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC). Tillis’ suggestion came in response to a question about whether he thought the state legislature would expand Medicaid coverage even though it previously refrained from doing it.

In response, Tillis, according to the Charlotte Observer, said it might be a good idea when the state had a better handle on financing the program.

“I would encourage the state legislature and governor to consider it if they’re completely convinced they now have the situation under control,” Tillis said.

Tillis previously backed legislation to stop Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. On Tuesday the Republican nominee said he wasn’t motivated by ideology to stop Medicaid expansion. Rather, according to the Observer, Tillis said that when North Carolina’s auditor told North Carolina’s previous governor money was going to waste on the program, the best response was to not expand it.

The TPM Polltracker average gives Hagan a 0.5 point lead over Tillis.

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for korvu korvu says:

    I hope the Dems pound him with taped history on this.

  2. Why wasn’t Hagan in the debate? Tillis is trying to sell a bullshit sandwich to the voters.

  3. Too little, too late. Hagan wins.

  4. So does this mean he now opposes repealing the ACA?

  5. Since Tillis led the fight against expanding Medicaid, this rings hollow—especially since NC wouldn’t have to spend a dime on the expansion for 3 years, and then would only have to cover 5% of the cost of the expansion.

    Tillis is a professional liar.
    There’s no other way to say it.

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