HANOVER, N.H. — Well being care points are essential to Lana Leggett-Kealey, who works as a genetic genealogist. However on Tuesday, as she walked out of her polling place at a neighborhood highschool and right into a frigid New England morning, she mentioned she had one thing greater on her thoughts when she forged her vote.
“I need to be sure that we’ve got somebody competent within the White Home,” she mentioned. She wrote in President Joe Biden’s title on her poll in New Hampshire’s Democratic major.
The Reasonably priced Care Act’s future is essential to Robert Stanhope, a retired invoice collector. He mentioned he additionally wrote in Biden, whose administration has labored to scale back prices beneath the ACA.
However that wasn’t his motivation for his early-morning go to to the polls. “I’m right here to maintain Trump out of workplace,” Stanhope mentioned.
Elaine Kozma, 73, of New London mentioned well being care points are vitally essential to her as a most cancers survivor. She mentioned she voted for Republican Nikki Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor, whom she thinks she will be able to belief greater than former President Donald Trump.
Voters casting their first ballots within the 2024 presidential election cycle on Tuesday framed well being care as a back-burner challenge, capping years of political wrangling over Obamacare and a pandemic that strained the nation’s well being system.
In interviews with greater than 50 voters this week in New Hampshire — a state the place 95% of residents have health insurance, one of many highest charges within the nation — most individuals mentioned their vote was about Trump, like him or hate him. However well being care considerations — about prices, entry, and, particularly amongst Democrats, abortion — weren’t removed from many citizens’ minds.
“I’ve two daughters and 5 sisters and a mother, so ensuring ladies’s reproductive rights are protected is essential to me,” mentioned Rob Houseman, 60, a city official in Hanover. Anxious that Republicans will attempt to “weaponize well being care” as an alternative of guaranteeing entry, he mentioned he voted for Biden.
Trump defeated Haley within the state’s GOP major, in accordance with The Related Press. Biden, who didn’t seem on the poll because of disagreements over the first schedule, gained the Democratic contest owing partly to a vigorous write-in marketing campaign.
Many against Trump cited considerations about his health to guide, whereas most Trump voters who spoke with KFF Well being Information mentioned they supported him for 2 primary causes: They hoped he would scale back unlawful immigration and decrease inflation.
Democratic voters had been extra probably than Republicans to quote heath care as a key challenge within the election.
“Oh my, sure,” mentioned Ben Gilson, 90, a retired orthopedic surgeon. “Well being care is my No. 1 challenge.”
Whereas he mentioned he has glorious protection and pays little in out-of-pocket prices, he worries many youthful individuals battle and desires to ensure Obamacare is retained. One in every of Trump’s earliest guarantees throughout his 2016 marketing campaign was to repeal and exchange the ACA — a vow he has lately revived in his newest try to win the White Home.
In New London, Kate Turcotte, a professor at Colby-Sawyer Faculty, mentioned she voted for Biden to maintain Trump out of workplace — and since she trusts Democrats extra to enhance well being protection and shield abortion rights.
She mentioned she additionally worries Trump will attempt to minimize well being take care of essentially the most weak. “Well being care must be a proper, not a privilege,” she mentioned.
Trump voters ceaselessly cited immigration as a high concern. Republicans have accused Biden of permitting file numbers of immigrants to cross into the U.S. from Mexico.
In Merrimack, Mary Clancy, 69, mentioned she was happy together with her Medicare protection and was voting for Trump primarily to safe the southern border.
Kathy Franqui, 54, of Merrimack, mentioned the border and immigration had been her primary causes for voting for Trump. However she additionally mentioned Trump would scale back well being prices.
At a espresso store in Warner, Susan Hencke, 62, mentioned she pays $1,100 a month for medical insurance. However she mentioned well being care was not among the many elements figuring out how she would vote.
She mentioned having a president who will shield civil rights issues most to her. She was undecided about whom to help.
Each she and her husband, who declined to present his title, mentioned they had been involved about abortion restrictions Trump might impose.
Sitting outdoors the espresso store within the freezing climate was Artwork Sullivan, 75, of Hooksett, who mentioned immigration was his overriding challenge within the election — and why he was voting for Trump.
Requested if he had been personally affected by immigration, he mentioned he was apprehensive his youngsters must shoulder the monetary burden of individuals coming into the U.S. with out authorization.
“The border is a shame,” mentioned Sullivan, who mentioned he’s a registered impartial voter and sells swimming swimming pools.
Requested if well being care was one thing he considered when evaluating candidates, he mentioned he had a Medicare Benefit plan that covers his payments and supplies entry to care.
DJ Annicchiarico, co-owner of United Shoe Restore in downtown Harmony, mentioned he’s a registered Democrat. However whereas he prefers Biden on well being points, he’s not but persuaded to vote for him in November.
His primary concern is inflation. He mentioned the ACA, which he described as a step in the suitable path, had helped decrease his insurance coverage premiums however hadn’t managed well being care costs. “One thing must be performed to rein in inflation,” he mentioned.
Annicchiarico mentioned he desires to see well being care costs regulated by the federal authorities and worries Trump would attempt to repeal the ACA. He famous entry continues to be a problem and mentioned getting a dermatology appointment for his daughter meant ready eight months.
Aalianna Marietta, 21, a university scholar, mentioned well being care was essential to her, significantly abortion rights, so she could be voting for Biden. “I’m 100% pro-choice, and I can not see myself voting for somebody who’s racist and a misogynist,” she mentioned of Trump.
Deb Shope, 57, out strolling her canine in Lebanon, mentioned well being care is a high challenge for her as a result of she works as a medical social employee and sees how essential good well being protection may be. She mentioned she was voting for Biden as a result of she appreciated how he has tried to assist individuals get protection and handle their psychological well being care wants.
Shope mentioned it’s exhausting to look past how Trump acts as an individual. Requested if she is apprehensive about him getting reelected, she mentioned individuals shouldn’t fear about issues out of their management.
KFF Health News is a nationwide newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about well being points and is likely one of the core working applications at KFF—an impartial supply of well being coverage analysis, polling, and journalism. Be taught extra about KFF.
USE OUR CONTENT
This story may be republished free of charge (details).
