Virginia Democrats Attack GOP Over Medicaid Cuts in House Races
Democratic candidates in Virginia's 1st, 2nd and 5th Congressional Districts, joined by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at a rally, are campaigning against Republican incumbents who voted for H.R. 1, a federal reconciliation bill Democrats say puts 300,000 Virginians at risk of losing Medicaid coverage. Candidates Shannon Taylor, Elaine Luria and Tom Perriello are challenging Reps. Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans and John McGuire respectively ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Perriello specifically cited rural healthcare disparities and hospitals lacking obstetrics care in Virginia's South Side, linking service cuts to the bill's hospital funding changes. The article notes 13 rural Virginia hospitals have been identified as at risk of closure, with several citing H.R. 1 as a contributing factor.