Messer Poised for Trump Era Senate Run 5Th Ranking House Republican Prepares for Sen
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V22, N27 Thursday, March 9, 2017 Messer poised for Trump era Senate run 5th ranking House Republican prepares for Sen. Donnelly, health reform, Trump drama By BRIAN A. HOWEY SHELBYVILLE – About the time House Republicans were releasing the long awaited Obam- acare repeal/replace plan, the fifth-ranking Republi- can joined Howey Politics for a beer at the Riverfront Brewery in the heart of the conservative 6th CD. U.S. Rep. Luke Messer didn’t have a recent town hall during the last recess, but he consistently talked about the attitudes and perceptions of 6th CD constituents, and there is no doubt in his mind that they are firmly in President Trump’s corner. “Back home, people are excited by Trump’s leadership, they’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and they are waiting to see the through the prism of Trump. By May, he is expected to results from his promises,” Messer said. announce he will challenge U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly. He will While he has some concerns about Trump’s rheto- not make the final decision by guessing what the mid-term ric and wants to answers to the Kremlin ties to the Trump Continued on page 4 campaign, Messer is preparing to latch his political career Repeal in 2nd, 6th CDs By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – When it comes to the long- awaited Republican repeal and replace of Obamacare, my stare is transfixed on two Hoosier environs, the 2nd and 6th congressional districts. Up in the 2nd, U.S. Rep. “I don’t think that’s going to be Jackie Walorski seemed to exult in the imminent repeal me. Congress has become less of Obamacare. “We’re doing attractive for people. I think a exactly what we said we would do,” Walorski told the South lot of emerging leaders take a Bend Tribune. “It’s what people have been asking for.” And from look at opportunities to run for the Indiana perspective, she Congress and decide it’s not for is right. Obamacare has never been popular here and Presi- them. ” dent Trump’s vow to repeal and - South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg replace it with something “ter- Page 2 rific” that will provide “good coverage is not for them.” at much less cost” and “a much better But 2018 appears to be a healthcare plan at much less money” vastly different beast than any of the resonated with voters here in 2016 in other cycles of this decade. This is the emphatic fashion. first with a Republican president, and In January, Trump ex- the 2nd CD over the years is much plained, “It’s going to be – what my more competitive in mid-term elec- plan is is that I want to take care of tions under GOP presidents. Just ask everybody. I’m not going to leave the former congressman John Hiler. How lower 20% that can’t afford insurance. President Trump will be perceived, and Howey Politics Indiana So I want to make sure that nobody’s whether he has coattails or becomes WWHowey Media, LLC 405 dying on the streets when I’m presi- a millstone, is impossible to forecast. Massachusetts Ave., Suite dent. We will unleash something that’s Just six months ago, Trump was sup- 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 going to be terrific.” posed to be a burlap sack of cinder The American Health Care Act blocks for Republicans and he turned www.howeypolitics.com unveiled on Monday is full of promise out to provide Red Bull wings. but won’t have a Congressional Bud- In the 2nd CD, there are Brian A. Howey, Publisher get Office score for weeks well into 18,900 people who have accessed Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington the process. And on Tuesday, Walor- health coverage via the federal Obam- Jack E. Howey, Editor ski told the South Bend Tribune that acare exchange. Of the 420,000 Hoo- she could not guarantee that no one siers on HIP 2.0, while exact statistics Mary Lou Howey, Editor would lose coverage under the plan, are not available, somewhere around Thomas Curry, Statehouse saying, “Folks that need coverage 50,000 have coverage in the 2nd CD. Mark Curry, photography and access to coverage will absolutely So what happens to upward of 60,000 have it,” she said. Well, doesn’t that to 70,000 of Walorski’s constituents cover all Americans? And she didn’t is to be determined. Logic says that if Subscriptions yet know how Republicans would you take away a benefit, those folks HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 pay for it. “We’re still working on the might be motivated to vote against HPI Weekly, $350 details of that,” she said before vot- those responsible. Ray Volpe, Account Manager ing for the plan in the Ways & Means Perhaps. 317.602.3620 Committee early today. The 6th CD has become a Walorski represents the most microcosm of the Republican stew on email: [email protected] competitive congressional district in health care. There was Vice President Contact HPI Indiana, at +6 Republican on the Cook Mike Pence, who represented the [email protected] Partisan Index gauged in 2014. But 6th CD for 12 years, who declared Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 we are heading into the fourth elec- of RyanCare that “This is the plan,” tion of the 2011 maps, and the district though conceding that it faces a “very Washington: 202.256.5822 appears to be trending more Republi- open process on Capitol Hill.” Pence’s Business Office: 317.602.3620 can. She lost to then Rep. Joe Don- friend and CD predecessor, Club for nelly 49-48% in 2010 after he voted Growth’s David McIntosh, panned the © 2017, Howey Politics for Obamacare, won the seat 49-48% plan, saying, “If this warmed-over Indiana. All rights reserved. in 2012 over Brendan Mullen, shel- substitute for government-run health lacked Joe Bock 59-38% in President care remains unchanged, the Club for Photocopying, Internet forward- Obama’s final mid-term election in Growth will key vote against it.” ing, faxing or reproducing in 2014, then smothered Lynn Coleman On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” any form, whole or part, is a 59-37% in the Trump Hoosier 2016 today, McIntosh said agreed that the violation of federal law without landslide. process hasn’t been marked up and is permission from the publisher. Walorski appears to be get- being rammed through. “What I think ting a break in that the most potent they can do is open up this process, Democrat challenger, South Bend take the RyanCare version, put in Mayor Peter Buttigieg, is passing on a about five or six changes,” McIntosh 2018 challenge, telling the Huffington said. “Cut all the taxes immediately, Post, “I don’t think that’s going to be block grant Medicaid, allow insurance me. Congress has become less attrac- sales across state lines, then they tive for people. I think a lot of emerg- could get a bill that could be solidly ing leaders take a look at opportuni- supported by the Republican base. ties to run for Congress and decide it Our friend Paul Ryan did it like a think Page 3 tank. They cooked it.” credits is coupled only to the age of the recipient; older Asked how a poorer person could be covered, Americans get more, on the principle that the cost of McIntosh said, “We’ve got the best answer. When you start insurance is higher for those of more advanced years. competing across state lines, they will have affordable Rattner adds, “Lower-income Americans of all ages health care. The rates will go down. With the Ryan bill the and older ones in middle income brackets would receive rates won’t go down. They’ll have a lot better options than materially less in government support. Meanwhile, higher either under Obamacare or RyanCare.” income earners, who currently get no subsidies, would find And Pence’s successor, U.S. Rep. Luke Messer, themselves with a windfall.” Of the former group, Rattner told Howey Politics on Monday that he believes there will is essentially describing a classic Trump supporter. Therein be Republican consensus, saying, “There is a legitimate lies the political danger of an issue that has surprised debate within the Republican Party and our caucus about President Trump for its complexity. which way is best. But I think there is consensus we’ll be Conservative New York Times columnist Ross on the same page and pass a repeal that meets the four Douthat writes about the GOP dilemma: “Those internal principles I described.” tensions … have given us the botch that is the Messer went on to say, “My sense House GOP’s Obamacare alternative. It’s a piece is that President Trump will be the tie- of legislation caught betwixt and between. It breaker here.” includes enough in the way of tax credits and But President Trump was all regulation to be labeled ‘Obamacare Lite’ by the over the map on Tuesday, telling the party’s would-be ideological enforcers, but it also House GOP Whip Team that he was “proud promises to throw many people off the insurance to support” the bill and wants it to pass rolls – many Trump voters included – for the sake “largely intact,” which is really an ab- of uncertain policy goals. Its outline bears some surd thing for a rookie president to say. resemblance to what the smartest conservative He obviously doesn’t have a handle on health policy thinkers favor, but it doesn’t want to the legislative process.