House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman over affordability Tuesday as House Speaker Mike Johnson was billed to appear with Blakeman at a Suffolk County Republican rally.
In an Oct. 27 campaign post, Jeffries accused Johnson, House Republicans and Blakeman of dismissing concerns about household costs. Gov. Kathy Hochulās reelection campaign highlighted the remarks in a news release.
āMike Johnson and House Republicans think the affordability crisis is a hoax. So does Trump puppet Bruce Blakeman,ā Jeffries wrote. He also predicted that New Yorkers would reelect Hochul on Nov. 3.
Johnson and Blakeman were among the announced headliners for the Oct. 27 Long Island rally, according to an advance notice posted by Newsday reporter Billy House.
Campaign renews dispute over Medicaid
Hochulās campaign tied Jeffriesā criticism to Johnsonās role in passing last yearās federal tax-and-spending legislation and to Blakemanās comments about Medicaid. It also criticized Blakemanās support for Trumpās tariffs and accused Republicans of increasing health care and food costs.
The campaign pointed to an August appearance in which Blakeman supported keeping Johnson as speaker and Johnson endorsed Blakemanās candidacy. Its release again characterized Blakeman as promising to cut Medicaid in half.
Blakeman has disputed that characterization. During the Oct. 13 gubernatorial debate, he said he had not proposed cutting Medicaid in half, as FL1 previously reported. He has framed Medicaid changes as part of an effort to lower property taxes.
Coverage figures concern Essential Plan eligibility
The campaignās release described nearly half a million New Yorkers, including nearly 30,000 Nassau County residents, as having lost health care following federal changes.
In June guidance on the transition, the state attorney generalās office identified approximately 450,000 people expected to lose Essential Plan eligibility July 1.
The change affected people with incomes between 200% and 250% of the federal poverty level. The guidance said affected enrollees could move to other marketplace coverage, while warning that those plans would cost more. The Essential Plan figure therefore describes a change in program eligibility, rather than establishing that every affected person remained without insurance.
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