DORAL, Fla. — Suddenly armed with fresh political ammunition, Donald Trump and anxious Republicans across the nation seized on spiking health-care costs Tuesday in a final-days effort to spark election momentum.
The Republican presidential nominee, trekking across must-win Florida, insisted “Obamacare is just blowing up” after the government projected sharp cost increases for President Barack Obama’s signature health-care law. Democrat Hillary Clinton, fighting to block Trump in the same battleground state, has vowed to preserve insurance for the millions of Americans covered under the law, but her team described the cost surge as a “big concern.”
Trump closed out the day by casting the government’s projections about the health-care law in personal terms.
“It’s killing our businesses. It’s killing our small businesses. And it’s killing individuals,” Trump told supporters at an evening rally in Tallahassee, without presenting evidence to back up his assertions.
While the health-care law has provided coverage to millions previously uninsured, it has also increased costs and regulatory burdens for businesses, particularly medium-sized to large companies. But small businesses are exempt from its requirement to cover full-time employees or face fines.
The renewed emphasis on health care gave battered Republican House and Senate candidates a brief respite from months of painful questions about their presidential nominee, who has questioned the integrity of the U.S. election system while facing personal allegations of sexual misconduct. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
“My first day in office I’m going to ask Congress to put a bill on my desk getting rid of this disastrous law,” a fiery Trump told thousands of voters gathered at an airport along the Interstate 4 corridor.
Blessed with an unexpected political gift, however, it’s unclear whether Trump will be able to capitalize.
“He could make this race for the last two weeks a referendum on Obamacare. But of course he won’t do that,” said former Ted Cruz strategist Chris Wilson. “It’s just a matter of him swatting at flies instead of having a coherent and consistent message.”
Indeed, Trump has struggled to stay focused on the traditional issues throughout his outsider candidacy. He opened Tuesday by promoting one of his Florida golf resorts, highlighting the extraordinary intersection between his business and political interests. Trump is also scheduled to attend Wednesday’s opening of his new Washington hotel.