Vulnerable Republicans Are Claiming They Love Medicaid After Voting to Gut It.

Republicans in tough reelection races are publicly celebrating Medicaid after voting for deep cuts that threaten coverage for thousands, exposing a stark gap between rhetoric and reality.

As the 2025 midterm elections approach, vulnerable Republican lawmakers are touting their love for Medicaid despite having voted for sweeping cuts that could cost tens of thousands of Americans their insurance. This blog explores the ongoing shift in public messaging, the real-life impact on communities, and the increasingly visible tension between campaign rhetoric and legislative action.

Picture this: you’re standing in a community health center, watching as a nurse delivers tough news to a nervous patient about their insurance coverage being dropped. Now, imagine the same scene repeating in towns across Iowa, Colorado, and New Jersey, right after a round of photo ops featuring lawmakers declaring their undying support for Medicaid. It sounds surreal—and yet, it’s real. This isn’t just political theatre; it’s the lived experience of thousands. So why are the very people who slashed Medicaid now claiming to be its biggest fans? Time to break down the drama, peek behind the press statements, and explore what’s really at stake in the lead-up to the 2025 midterms. Buckle up: this story comes with plot twists, a touch of hypocrisy, and a healthy dose of grassroots outrage.

Political Amnesia: Medicaid Cuts and Last-Minute Loyalty

The 2025 reconciliation bill, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” is making history for all the wrong reasons. With over $800 million in Medicaid cuts projected over the next decade, it marks the largest reduction in Medicaid funding in the program’s history. Yet, in a twist that can only be described as political amnesia, some of the very lawmakers who voted for these Medicaid cuts are now scrambling to show their love for the program as midterm elections loom.

Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ), and Gabe Evans (R-CO) all cast votes in favor of these sweeping Medicaid funding cuts. Now, just weeks later, they’re leading the charge on a new resolution “honoring” Medicaid’s 60th anniversary and pledging to protect the program for future generations. This sudden shift comes as all three face tough reelection battles—Miller-Meeks and Evans are in toss-up districts, while Kean Jr.’s seat only leans Republican, according to the Cook Political Report and Hotline Power Rankings.

The numbers behind the Medicaid coverage loss are staggering:

• 13,000 Medicaid recipients in Iowa’s 1st District (Miller-Meeks) are likely to lose coverage.
• 19,000 at risk in Evans’s Colorado district, where nearly 30% of the population depends on Medicaid.
• 6,000+ could lose coverage in Kean Jr.’s New Jersey district, with over 450,000 at risk statewide.

Despite these facts, the lawmakers are now touting their support for Medicaid. Miller-Meeks, for example, stated,

“As a physician, I know how critical Medicaid is for women, children, veterans, and disabled Americans.”

But her vote—and those of her colleagues—tells a different story. Each supported Medicaid cuts 2025 that will hit low-income and vulnerable populations the hardest, while also endangering rural hospitals and major medical centers.

The quick pivot to a Republican lawmakers Medicaid resolution is raising eyebrows. Critics point out that passing a resolution to “celebrate” Medicaid’s history rings hollow when it comes right after voting for the deepest Medicaid funding cuts in history. For the nearly 40,000 Americans in their districts facing Medicaid coverage loss, press releases and public statements offer little comfort.

Rhetoric vs. Reality: Walking Back the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

As the 2025 elections approach, vulnerable Republicans are scrambling to rewrite the narrative on Medicaid. Their public statements now praise the program’s importance, but their recent votes tell a different story. The gap between what lawmakers say and what they do is glaring—especially in districts where Medicaid is a lifeline for thousands.

Take Mariannette Miller-Meeks. In her Medicaid statement, she leaned on her background as a physician, claiming she knows “how critical Medicaid is for women, children, veterans, and disabled Americans.” Yet, her vote for the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” means an estimated 13,000 people in her Iowa district could lose coverage. Before the vote, Miller-Meeks faced direct confrontations from constituents and even signed a letter warning against deeper cuts. Still, she backed nearly $1 trillion in reductions, putting rural hospitals and vulnerable patients at risk.

In Colorado, Gabe Evans faced a chorus of boos and protests outside the state Capitol as he voiced support for the bill. Despite the fact that nearly 30% of Colorado residents rely on Medicaid, Evans voted for cuts that could strip 19,000 of his own constituents of coverage. His defense? The usual talking point about “waste, fraud, and abuse.” In a press release, Evans insisted,

“It is paramount that Congress preserve access to this program for those who need it the most.”

But for many, his actions speak louder than his words. The Gabe Evans Medicaid coverage loss is a major issue fueling local anger and protests.

Then there’s Tom Kean Jr., who tried to highlight tax cuts as a win for his New Jersey district. But the Tom Kean Jr. Medicaid vote backlash has been fierce. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll found that only 27% of likely voters approve of the budget bill that included the Medicaid cuts. Even the inclusion of popular tax deductions hasn’t softened the blow. Kean Jr. has avoided in-person town halls, likely to dodge the public response to Medicaid cuts 2025 that’s brewing in his district, where at least 6,000 people are expected to lose coverage.

Despite their attempts to walk back support for the “Big Beautiful Bill” with resolutions and press releases, these lawmakers can’t escape the reality: their votes are set to take health care away from tens of thousands of their own constituents, and voters are noticing.

The ‘Fraud and Waste’ Excuse: Do the Claims Hold Water?

When it comes to defending their votes to slash Medicaid, vulnerable Republicans like Gabe Evans and Tom Kean Jr. have leaned hard on a familiar talking point: Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse claims. They argue that the recent cuts are all about “program integrity”—not about taking health care away from those who need it. In fact, Kean Jr. summed up the party line in a statement:

“By rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse we are preserving this vital program for today’s recipients and future generations.”

But do these Congress Medicaid fraud waste abuse claims actually hold up under scrutiny? Health systems experts say the focus on fraud is wildly out of proportion to the real problem. According to government data, improper payments in Medicaid—while not zero—are a small fraction of the program’s total spending. Most errors are paperwork mistakes, not criminal fraud. Meanwhile, the cuts passed by Congress are set to kick tens of thousands off coverage in just three districts, and millions nationwide.

What’s really happening? The language of “waste, fraud, and abuse” is being used as a fig leaf for deep disinvestment. The recent bill doesn’t just trim administrative fat—it introduces Medicaid work reporting requirements, higher cost-sharing, and new restrictions for immigrants. These changes have a much bigger impact on coverage than any savings from rooting out fraud. For example:

• Work reporting requirements have been shown to cause eligible people to lose coverage due to paperwork hurdles, not because they’re ineligible.
• Increased cost-sharing means more out-of-pocket costs for low-income families, making it harder to access care.
• Restrictions on immigrant eligibility further shrink the safety net.

Experts warn that the real threat isn’t a handful of fraudulent claims—it’s the loss of coverage for those who need it most. As one health policy analyst put it, “The math just doesn’t add up for those losing care.” The Medicaid fraud waste abuse claims make for good campaign soundbites, but they don’t justify the scale of these cuts. In the end, the “program integrity” argument is more about political cover than protecting the vulnerable.

Ripple Effects: What Medicaid Cuts Mean on the Ground

When lawmakers slash Medicaid, the impact isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet—it’s families, hospitals, and entire communities left scrambling. The impact of Medicaid cuts on low-income Americans is especially harsh in places like Iowa’s 1st District, Colorado, and New Jersey, where thousands are bracing to lose coverage. For rural hospitals and clinics, Medicaid is often the main funder keeping the doors open. As funding dries up, these facilities face existential threats, and the effects of Medicaid cuts on rural hospitals are already being felt.

In Rep. Miller-Meeks’s Iowa district, 13,000 people are expected to lose Medicaid coverage. That’s not just a statistic—it’s a lifeline being pulled away. Take the story of a rural Iowan parent who, after the bill passed, learned their child’s therapy sessions would no longer be covered. “We’re not sure what we’ll do next,” the parent shared at a local town hall. “There aren’t other options out here.” This is the reality for many families: health care access for vulnerable populations is slipping through their fingers.

Rural hospitals, already stretched thin, now face the risk of closure. Medicaid is often the only thing keeping them afloat. Without it, entire regions could become health care deserts. In Colorado, where nearly 30% of residents rely on Medicaid, Rep. Evans’s vote put 19,000 constituents at risk. In New Jersey, Rep. Kean Jr.’s district could see over 6,000 lose coverage, with more than 450,000 at risk statewide. These numbers highlight the Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations that’s on the chopping block.

Advocacy groups and everyday citizens haven’t been silent. Protests have erupted, and local leaders are sounding the alarm. But uncertainty reigns as the election approaches. As one health advocate put it,

‘House Republicans are celebrating Medicaid’s legacy with one hand, and taking away patients’ coverage with the other.’

Broad legislative language fails to consider the real-world consequences. Children, seniors, people with disabilities, and families with low incomes—those least able to advocate for themselves—are losing their safety net. With up to 10 million people expected to lose Medicaid coverage nationwide, the ripple effects are just beginning to hit home.

Election-Year Gymnastics: Will Performative Resolutions Fool Voters?

As the Medicaid midterm elections approach, vulnerable Republicans are scrambling to rewrite their records with flashy resolutions and press releases. But voters aren’t buying it. After a year of voting to gut Medicaid—putting over 450,000 New Jersey residents and tens of thousands more across Iowa and Colorado at risk—lawmakers like Tom Kean Jr., Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Gabe Evans are suddenly professing their love for the very program they tried to dismantle. The public perception is clear: this is election-year gymnastics, not genuine advocacy.

The Republican strategy for Medicaid midterm elections seems to hinge on performative gestures. Kean Jr. and his colleagues have steered clear of in-person town halls, wary of facing angry constituents and tough questions about their votes. It’s not hard to imagine a televised debate where a constituent asks Kean Jr. to explain his Medicaid record—cue the awkward silence. The avoidance speaks volumes, especially in a climate where authenticity is under the microscope and every vote is scrutinized.

Polling data backs up the skepticism. According to a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, “Overall, 27 percent of likely voters in the state say that they approve of the budget bill.” That’s a devastating number for any incumbent hoping to ride a wave of goodwill into the 2025 midterms. Voter sentiment on Medicaid cuts in New Jersey and elsewhere is overwhelmingly negative, with demands for real health care access drowning out generic promises to “strengthen the system.”

For lawmakers like Evans—ranked the second-most vulnerable House GOP member by Hotline Power Rankings—the stakes couldn’t be higher. Medicaid will be a defining issue in key battleground elections, and voters are signaling that performative resolutions won’t erase the memory of lost coverage or shuttered hospitals. The attempt to recast anti-Medicaid votes as heroic defenses of the program is falling flat, especially among those directly affected.

With the midterms looming, the effort to rewrite the Medicaid narrative looks more like political theater than genuine concern. As the newly uninsured join the chorus of skeptics, the 2025 midterms are shaping up to be a referendum not just on Medicaid cuts, but on political authenticity itself. In the end, voters are demanding more than resolutions—they want real answers and real protection for their health care.

TL;DR: Some vulnerable Republicans who voted for major Medicaid cuts are now publicly lauding the program in an election year, but their voting records may speak louder than their press releases, with real people left caught in the crossfire.

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