I’m Kelly Mazeski and I’m running for Congress to hold Peter Roskam (IL-06) accountable for voting for the Republican health care plan that makes you pay more and get less, and causes 24 million Americans to lose coverage.
Like many in the Daily Kos community, I really struggled with our health care system. At one point, I even lost my health insurance. I’m deeply concerned that as a cancer survivor and the mother of a daughter with a rare illness, people with pre-existing conditions like us will lose health coverage if the Republican plan becomes law.
Roskam wants us to believe, “Under no circumstances can people be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition.”
With all due respect, Congressman, my doctors saved my life from breast cancer. So I trust them over you and Donald Trump when the largest association of physicians says, “Americans with pre-existing conditions will be stuck in second-class health care coverage – if they are able to obtain coverage at all.”
That’s simply unacceptable. The Affordable Care Act isn’t perfect. There are many things we can do to improve the current law, but Trumpcare, that Roskam voted for at every stage is a massive step backwards.
What’s worse is if Roskam and just one other Republican would have voted no, this terrible bill would not have passed the House. Crain’s Chicago Business wrote:
Had Reps. Randy Hultgren of Plano, Adam Kinzinger of Joliet and Peter Roskam of Wheaton voted "no" instead of "yes," a measure that passed 217-213 would have lost, assuming all other members' votes remained unchanged. In fact, had two of the three switched, the measure would have failed on a tie 215-215 vote.
Roskam helped pave the way for the health care vote back in March as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, where he voted for an age tax, which would allow insurance companies to charge people over age 50 five times as much as they charge others. Estimates by AARP have found that the age tax in the AHCA could hike insurance premiums for people ages 60-64 by more than $3,000 a year — to almost $18,000 annually. People between 50 and 59 would see a $1,500 hike to almost $13,000 a year.
As I begin my campaign, I’m inspired by the amazing support the Daily Kos community is giving to defeat Republicans like Peter Roskam.
Donate $25 to Help Me Defeat Peter Roskam
I’m incredibly humbled by the attention my campaign has received by announcing on the day of the health care vote from all five local broadcast networks to the New York Times.
But this is going to be a very long, difficult and expensive campaign. While it’s encouraging that the Cook Political Report moved IL-06 from Likely Republican to Lean Republican, following Roskam’s vote, it also means Washington Republicans and the Koch Brothers will spend millions against me to defend Roskam’s seat.
I need your support on the ground, online and with campaign donations. I promise to work hard every day on the campaign trail and in Congress to stand up to Donald Trump and the Republicans who would rather give a massive tax cut to billionaires instead of protecting and expanding health care coverage for millions of Americans.
Sign up on my website, follow me on Facebook and consider giving $25 to help me defeat Peter Roskam next November.
Thank you and I look forward to working with the members of Daily Kos to take back the House in 2018!