- Associated Press - Thursday, November 9, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats are starting to see a political edge in health care - particularly the idea of widening Medicaid access for more low-income people - after big election victories Tuesday night.

In Virginia, Democrat Ralph Northam promised a vigorous push as governor to expand Medicaid. Voters who said health care was important went decisively for Northam.

In Maine, voters defied Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s determined opposition by passing a referendum to expand Medicaid to cover an estimated 70,000 more residents.



During Barack Obama’s presidency, health care was often seen as a political liability for Democrats. But public opinion seems to have shifted amid widespread opposition to Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

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