A Republican Congressman from Minnesota says the party's midterm problems can be traced back to Sen. John McCain.
The claim from Rep. Jason Lewis came in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, posted online Sunday. In it, Lewis claims McCain's vote against Republicans' last attempt at repealing the Affordable Care Act in July 2017 cost them the election.
The late Arizona senator cast the deciding vote in the Senate against the so-called "skinny repeal" of the health care law.
Lewis said McCain's vote gave Democrats ammo in the midterm elections:
McCain’s last-minute decision prompted a “green wave” of liberal special-interest money, which was used to propagate false claims that the House plan “gutted coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.” That line was the Democrats’ most potent attack in the midterms.
Lewis's piece drew criticism from McCain's family and supporters. On Twitter, Meghan McCain called the op-ed "abhorrent."
This is abhorrent. https://t.co/dPpjYcwk81
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) November 12, 2018
Lewis argues that Republicans' repeal bill specifically forced insurance companies to cover those with pre-existing conditions, despite claims otherwise from Democrats.
The bill did protect coverage for pre-existing conditions but would've allowed insurers to charge more for that coverage, according to fact-checking websitePolitfact.
