Elizabeth Warren promised government-run health care, now says it will just be a 'choice'
The ole switcheroo?
Democratic presidential contender Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) revealed just last month that she would transition Americans to single-payer health care via Medicare for All during her first presidential term. The plan would eliminate private health insurance.
Now, Warren is backing away from her plan, saying it will be a "choice," effectively eliminating her promise of mandated government-run health care.
During a recent swing through Iowa, Warren stressed to voters that they would continue to have a "choice," between either private health insurance or a public option, Bloomberg News reported.
"We're going to push through health care that's available to everyone," Warren told voters on Saturday. "You don't have to, but it's your choice, if you want to come in and get full health care coverage."
At a separate campaign stop, she said, "And then when people have a chance to try it, when you've had the choice — nobody has to but — when you've had the choice and tried full health care coverage, then we'll vote. And I believe America is going to say, 'We like Medicare for All.'"
So, what is driving the rhetorical shift? According to CNN, public sentiment likely plays a role.
That's because, since October when Warren's popularity peaked among Democratic voters, support for government-run health care — both among voters nationwide and Democratic voters — has declined.
For example, a Fox News poll released Sunday showed that opposition to government-run health care has risen to 53% among all voters, while support among Democrats has tanked over the last two months from 65% to just 54%.
Meanwhile, Warren's support among voters has taken a similar hit since government-run health care became her central campaign issue.
According to RealClearPolitics, Warren's average support peaked at 26.4%in October, overtaking Joe Biden to become the Democratic front-runner. However, it was short-lived. Now, Warren is in third place behind Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) averaging just 15% of support among Democratic voters.
