NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – President Donald Trump’s rally in Virginia on Friday evening has brought criticism from Democratic leaders. The visit to Newport News is an attempt to reach rural North Carolinians, according to party officials.
In a joint statement from former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt, they say that Trump has failed more than 200,000 Americans who died from coronavirus with how he has been handling the pandemic.
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“President Trump is putting countless Virginians' lives at risk in order to hold a political rally during a pandemic and prop up his chances in North Carolina,” the two say in the statement. “We need an administration that understands that we can’t jeopa rdize people’s access to health care in the middle of a pandemic.”
They mention how Trump is trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, which they say will “ put the 3.5 million Virginians and 4.1 million Carolinians with pre-existing conditions at risk of losing their health care and raise health care costs for seniors.”
The two Democrats say that with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House, America will have leaders who will fight for their health, safety and futures every day.
Here’s McAuliffe and Hunt’s full statement:
“President Trump is putting countless Virginians’ lives at risk in order to hold a political rally during a pandemic and prop up his chances in North Carolina. During this pandemic, he has failed the more than 200,000 Americans -- including 3,000 in Virginia and 3,300 in North Carolina -- who have died from COVID-19. But it’s not just that Trump lacks a real plan to contain the virus and save lives, his administration is actively trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, which will put the 3.5 million Virginians and 4.1 million Carolinians with pre-existing conditions at risk of losing their health care and raise health care costs for seniors.
“We need an administration that understands that we can’t jeopardize people’s access to health care in the middle of a pandemic. One that knows we need to expand people’s access to health care and build on the progress we made during the Obama-Biden Administration. With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House, Americans will have a president and vice president who will fight for their health, their safety, and their futures every day.”
Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt