by (The Center Square) — As both campaigns regroup after the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, voters in Georgia have 55 days to decide which candidate they prefer.
For many voters, health care will be a deciding factor, as it is cited as a top issue more often in Georgia than in other states where the vote remains uncertain.
On Tuesday evening, both candidates presented their competing plans for the American people.
“Access to health care should be a right, not just a privilege of those who can afford it,” Harris said.
She falsely claimed that Trump plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
Harris said she would amplify it.
“Fortunately, over the last four years, as vice president, we have strengthened the Affordable Care Act,” Harris said.
“Since I became vice president, we have capped prescription drug costs for seniors at $2,000 a year. When I am president, we will do that for everyone.”
Trump pushed back, repeating what he said during the campaign in North Carolina: He has no plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
“We can do a lot better than Obamacare, with a lot less money,” he said.
“Obamacare was a lousy health care system. . . . I had to make a choice when I was president. Do I save it and make it the best it can be, or do I let it rot? And I saved it. I did the right thing.”
He added that his administration, if elected, would consider alternatives to the Affordable Care Act if they cost the American people less money.
Voters in the swing states likely listened attentively as they laid out their plans.
In six of the seven states where the poll results are uncertain, abortion and immigration are the second and third most frequently mentioned issues.
In Georgia, health care ranks third.
This is evident from a poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategies in 10 states that they believe could influence the elections.
Read coverage of the debate in The Post
Sampling took place from September 6 to 9.
The pollster adds Florida, Minnesota and New Mexico to the consensus battlegrounds of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
When asked which issues would most influence their voting behavior, respondents said health care costs were the second “extremely” important issue.
In another Fox News poll in Georgia, voters gave health care a nearly equal vote, followed by abortion and immigration in second place, trailing by just 1% and 2% respectively.
In the past, Harris has expressed support for eliminating private health care options, saying she no longer believes that is a good option.
“I have absolutely supported private health care options over the past four years as vice president, but what we need to do is preserve and expand the Affordable Care Act,” Harris said.
While they acknowledge many of the same problems in their platforms, such as high health care costs, Trump and Harris have very different visions for how to solve them.
According to Trump’s platform, his administration is committed to “fighting for and protecting Social Security and Medicare, without cutting corners.”
It is recognized that “the costs of health care and prescription drugs are excessive.”
To fix this, “Republicans will increase transparency, promote choice and competition, and expand access to new affordable health care and prescription drugs.”
Harris’ platform promises to lower health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.
“As president, she will accelerate negotiations to buy more medicines and lower prices for Americans,” her campaign website said.
“As president, she will work with states to cancel medical debt for even more Americans.”
