Sacramento, CA – The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN) released the following statement on Tuesday’s election results, which demonstrate California voters’ clear mandate to protect health care and demand accountability for the ultra rich:
- From the governor’s race to local offices, voters chose candidates committed to fighting H.R. 1 cuts.
- Voters delivered accountability on health care cuts. Kevin Kiley (CD-6) who voted to gut our health care, won’t return to Congress. David Valadao (CD-22), who chose tax breaks for the rich over his constituents’ health care, appears headed for defeat.
- Well over 40% of voters supported taxing billionaires to protect health care, a clear rebuke to the $379 million in misleading attacks on Prop 40.
The following statement may be attributed to Kiran Savage-Sangwan, CPEHN Executive Director:
“Californians are more than upset about communities losing Medi-Cal and families being priced out of health care. Tuesday, in record numbers, they used their voting power to hold leaders accountable for protecting our care.
“By overwhelming margins, Californians chose a Governor committed to protecting Medi-Cal coverage from federal rollbacks and guaranteeing access to care for immigrant communities starting ‘on Day One.’ Voters fired Congressmembers Kevin Kiley and are poised to oust David Valado over their votes to cut $1 trillion from health care for low-wage workers to lavish more tax cuts on the ultra rich.
“This year’s record voter turnout was driven by affordability concerns, with the price of health care topping the list of worries. It’s not lost on voters that the billionaires who outspent the Prop 40 campaign by 250 to 1 aren’t losing sleep over medical debt or worried they can’t afford the co-pay on their kids’ medicine. Well over 40% of voters supported the Billionaire’s Tax despite a $379 million campaign of lies and fear – underscoring voters’ growing recognition that an accelerating concentration of wealth is making us sick. Any candidate for office from here on out will need to demonstrate to voters how they plan to hold billionaires accountable and ensure that all Californians have quality, affordable health care.
“CPEHN congratulates Governor Becerra on his historic victory. The proud son of immigrants, Becerra made fighting for immigrant communities a centerpiece of his campaign. We look forward to partnering with him to strengthen Medi-Cal, remove exclusions to care for immigrant communities, and hold corporations accountable for providing health care we can afford.”