Arizona Votes: Kyrsten Sinema touts health care views at Phoenix event

PHOENIX — U.S. Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema touted her position on health care during a campaign event at the Crescent Ballroom in downtown Phoenix on Wednesday.

Sinema, who is running against Republican Martha McSally for the seat being vacated by Sen. Jeff Flake, listened to stories from people living with pre-existing conditions and spoke about the need for affordable, quality health care.

“Arizonans are counting on leaders who will work together to lower the cost of care and make our system work better for them,” said Sinema, who, like her opponent, is a U.S. congresswoman.

“Which is why we are fighting to expand access to affordable coverage by protecting access and community health centers and to make sure the 2.8 million Arizonans who live with pre-existing health conditions don’t lose coverage.”

The event was part of a health care tour by the Democrat that kicked off in Yuma on Tuesday, exactly two weeks before the Nov. 6 election.

Sinema’s ideas for improving health care don’t include the Medicare for All plan that’s been promoted most notably by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Instead, she said she wants to maintain what’s been working in the system — citing protections for people with pre-existing conditions — and fix what hasn’t been.

“I have been focused on supporting realistic proposals that help Arizonans get access to affordable coverage,” she said.

Continuing with her campaign-long theme of being an independent-minded Democrat, Sinema said she supported a bipartisan approach to the issue.

“That’s why I’ve reached across the aisle to make important improvements to the health care system,” she said, “like making health care insurance more affordable for small businesses and working to repeal the medical device tax and the health insurance tax to save Arizona businesses and families money.”

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