(The Center Square) As the two campaigns reconvene following the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, Georgia voters have 55 days to decide which candidate to support.
Health care has consistently ranked among the top issues in Georgia more than in other battleground states and will be a deciding factor for many voters.
On Tuesday night, both candidates announced their plans for the showdown to the American people.
“Access to health care should be a right, not a privilege, for those who can afford it,” Harris said.
She falsely stated that President Trump plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
Harris said she would step it up.
“Thankfully, over the last four years since I've been vice president, we've strengthened the Affordable Care Act,” Harris said.
“Since I was vice president, I have capped prescription drug costs for seniors at $2,000 a year, and if I were president, I would do that for everyone.”
Trump fired back, repeating what he said in North Carolina during the campaign: that he has no intention of repealing Obamacare.
“We can do something much better than Obamacare, and for much less money,” he said.
“Obamacare was a terrible health care system, and as president I had a choice: save it and make it as good as it could be, or let it rot. And I saved it and did the right thing.”
He added that if elected, he would consider an alternative to Obamacare if it would reduce the burden on Americans.
Voters in battleground states were likely eager to listen as they explained their plans.
In six of the seven battleground states surveyed, abortion and immigration were the second and third most commonly cited issues in each state.
Health care is third for Georgians.
this is, Redfield & Wilton Strategies Poll It is one of 10 states that could determine the outcome of the election.
Check out The Washington Post's coverage of the debate
Sampling took place from September 6th to 9th.
Pollsters have added Florida, Minnesota and New Mexico to the widely expected battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
When asked which issue would most influence their voting behavior, respondents cited health care costs as the second most important issue, calling it “extremely” important.
in Another vote In Georgia, Fox News reported that voters ranked health care in a near tie with abortion and immigration as the second most important issue, by just 1% and 2%, respectively.
Harris has said in the past that she supports ending the private health care option, but said she no longer believes it's a good option.
“I've been a full supporter of private health care option over the last four years as vice president, but what we need to do is preserve and expand the Affordable Care Act,” Harris said.
While Trump and Harris acknowledge many common problems, such as rising health care costs, in their respective platforms, they have starkly different visions for how to solve them.
According to Trump's policy platform, his administration promises to “not cut Social Security and Medicare, but fight to protect them.”
“Medical care and prescription drug costs are out of control,” he acknowledges.
To fix this, “Republicans will increase transparency, promote choice and competition, and expand access to new affordable health care and prescription drug options.”
Harris' policies promise to lower health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.
“As president, she will accelerate negotiations, cover more medicines and lower prices for the American people,” her campaign website states.
“As president, she will work with states to forgive medical debt for even more Americans.”
