The newly launched Medicare for All political action committee (PAC), chaired by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), has revealed the first candidates getting its endorsement.
As the Huffington Post first reported, the eight Democrats are:
- Kara Eastman, running for Nebraska's Second Congressional District;
- Andrew Gillum, running for Florida governor;
- Josh Harder, running for California's 10th Congressional District;
- Katie Hill, running for California's 25th District;
- Mike Levin, running for California’s 49th District;
- Katie Porter, running for California’s 45th District;
- Harley Rouda, running for California’s 48th District; and
- Liz Watson running for Indiana’s 9th District
"Access to quality affordable healthcare is becoming more and more unattainable for American families," Jayapal—who is also co-chair of the House Medicare for All Caucus, told the Huffington Post. "That's why we need fighters in public office committed to making Medicare for All a reality."
In an earlier interview with HuffPost, Jayapal said of candidates getting a possible endorsement and financial support from the PAC, "The only criteria that we have is: are they legitimately for that or do they undercut it in the next sentence and say, 'And the way to get there is through a Medicare buy-in,' which doesn't really get at the idea that we're transforming the whole system?"
On its Twitter stream, the PAC has been encouraging supporters to help build momentum for more Democrats to sign on to the caucus:
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One-third of House Democrats have joined the Medicare for All Caucus. We need more to join them in November.
— Medicare For All PAC (@medicare4allpac) October 31, 2018
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The announcement of the endorsements comes on the heels of a survey from National Nurses United (NNU) finding that the majority of Democrats running for Congress in 2018—225 candidates out of 431 races—back Medicare for All.
"But even more important," said Robert Weissman, president of advocacy group Public Citizen, "is why these candidates are embracing it—because an increasing majority of Americans, with increasing passion, is demanding that the United States end the rationing of healthcare with a Medicare for All system."
Indeed, as the findings of a recent Hill.TV and HarrisX poll show, 92 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of Republicans support Medicare for All.
