Fast 5: Candidates split on health care, abortion

By Jill Palermo, Times Staff Writer

Virginia’s two candidates for U.S. Senate and the six candidates vying to represent parts of Prince William County in the House of Representatives appear most deeply divided about the Affordable Care Act and whether women should retain the right to have an abortion.

But despite their disagreements, all say migrant families should not be separated at the border, and most see possible legislative fixes for climate change and gun violence – even if they disagree on which policies will help.

In an effort to break through partisan stereotypes, the Prince William Times sent five-question surveys to all four incumbents and their challengers on the ballot in the upcoming Nov. 6 midterm election in hopes of revealing both differences and areas of agreement.

We received responses from all but one: Rep. Barbara Comstock, the Republican incumbent in the 10th District race.

What about health care?

National polls suggest health care is top-of-mind for voters, and the candidates are divided along party lines about what to do about the Affordable Care Act, parts of which were scaled back by the federal tax-reform law approved last year.

There’s no longer a tax penalty for not having health-care insurance, sometimes called the “individual mandate,” and federal subsidies to insurance companies have been scaled back since the law first took effect.

Democratic candidates say the changes have amounted to undermining the health-care law. They are calling for the ACA to be restored and improved by adding a public option, such as Medicare, to the healthcare insurance exchange so people under the age of 65 can buy into the federal health-care insurance program as the elderly do.

Sen. Tim Kaine, the Democratic incumbent, and Vangie Williams, a Democrat challenging incumbent Rep. Rob Wittman in the 1st District, both say they would favor such a change.

“I … believe we should do more to expand access and improve quality, which is why I’ve proposed a plan called Medicare-X, which would allow all Virginians to have access to a plan similar to Medicare,” Kaine said.

Kaines’ Republican challenger, Prince William Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, said he favors a return to a time when government played a smaller role in health care.

“I strongly favor health savings accounts, as well as the restoration of short-term and low-cost ‘no-frills’ plans,” Stewart said. “We should allow insurance plans to be sold across state lines (more competition is healthy).”

Rep. Rob Wittman, the five-term Republican incumbent in the 1st District who is defending his seat against Williams, voted against the Affordable Care Act more than 50 times in recent years. But he says he favors reforms that would preserve coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Wittman voted in favor of the House replacement for the ACA in May 2017, which critics said would have made health insurance more expensive for those with pre-existing conditions. The measure failed in the Senate.

“I support a path forward for repealing and replacing the ACA with patient-provider centered reforms that expand choices for consumers, increase access to care and reduce healthcare costs, all while preserving coverage for folks with pre-existing conditions,” Wittman said.

Jeff Dove, a Republican challenging Connolly in the 11th District race, said he advocates homing in on the aspects of health care that drive up costs.

“I would personally like to see is a less bloated piece of legislation like the ACA was with lobbyists and special interests being served,” Dove said.

Immigration

On immigration, most candidates said they oppose the Trump Administration’s temporary move to separate migrant children from their parents as they were prosecuted for illegally crossing the border under the president’s “zero tolerance policy.” Most also described the nation’s immigration laws as “broken.”

Kaine, who earlier this year backed a bill to provide $25 billion for border security and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants without a criminal records, said he would continue to “fight for comprehensive immigration reform that secures our border and treats immigrants humanely and fairly.”

Stewart’s campaign spokesman Nathan Brinkman, meanwhile, said Stewart supports the presidents’ zero-tolerance policy on border-crossers but also agrees with the administration’s move to stop separating families.

“Nobody wants to see families divided,” Stewart said. “We must discourage illegal migration to begin with – that’s why I favor building a real border wall and enforcing our nation’s immigration laws.”

Reach Jill Palermo at jpalermo@ fauquier.com

Sen. Tim Kaine (D)

Corey Stewart (R)

Vangie Williams (D)

Rep. Rob Wittman (R)

Jennifer Wexton (D)

Rep. Barbara Comstock (R)

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D)

Jeff Dove (R)

Fast 5

Do you agree with the Trump Administration’s zero-tolerance policy on border crossers that has led to family separations?

Kaine: No

Stewart: Yes*

Williams: No

Wittman: No

Weston: No

Comstock: No Response

Connolly: No

Dove: No

On the Affordable Care Act, would you: fix it, repeal and replace it, or just repeal it?

Kaine: Fix

Stewart: Repeal and Replace

Williams: Fix

Wittman: Repeal and Replace

Weston: Fix

Comstock: No Response

Connolly: Fix

Dove: Repeal and Replace

Are more laws needed to prevent gun violence?

Kaine: Yes

Stewart: No

Williams: Yes

Whitman: Yes

Weston: Yes

Comstock: No Response

Connolly: Yes

Dove: Yes

Is it possible to combat climate change with new legislation?

Kaine: Yes

Stewart: No

Williams: Yes

Whitman: Yes

Weston: Yes

Comstock: No Response

Connolly: Yes

Dove: No

Where do you stand on abortion rights?

Kaine: Pro-abortion rights

Stewart: Anti-abortion

Williams: Pro-abortion rights

Wittman: Anti- abortion

Wexton: Pro-abortion rights

Comstock: No Response

Connolly: Pro-abortion rights

Dove: Anti- abortion

No response: Rep. Barbara Comstock did not respond to inquiry. Positions were not clearly expressed on campaign website: www.barbaracomstockforcongress.com

*Stewart supports Trump’s immigration policies but does not support separating families.