In response to Chris Christie’s record of calling to repeal the Affordable Care Act, DNC National Press Secretary Sarafina Chitika released the following statement:

“As governor, Chris Christie repeatedly called for gutting the Affordable Care Act and vetoed legislation that would have made affordable care more accessible for New Jersey families. Now, he’s taking his failed, unpopular agenda on the road with his pathetic presidential campaign, repeatedly mocking Trump for not following through on his threats to rip health care away from millions of Americans. Christie is just like the rest of the MAGA 2024 field: following Trump’s lead on decimating affordable health care coverage for millions of hardworking Americans to score political points and line the pockets of the ultra-wealthy. The American people have rejected this cynical ploy at the polls time and again, and they’ll do it again next year.”

Christie joined Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans’ calls to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would rip away health care and gut protections for preexisting conditions from millions of Americans.

Politico: “Despite the fact that millions of people had enrolled in Obamacare, the health law remains a ‘failure on a whole number of levels’ and should be repealed, Christie said. But, he added, Republicans must also offer a concrete replacement. The conversation, he said ‘must start from a position of repeal.’”

Christie: “I’ll just tell you my position. [The Affordable Care Act] doesn’t work. It’s fiction. It doesn’t work and it should be repealed.”

Christie: “Obamacare is wrong; it’s a failure. It’s the most extraordinary overreach of government power in the history of our country.”

On the 2024 campaign trail, Christie has pledged to “deliver” on repealing the Affordable Care Act and has repeatedly criticized Trump for failing to repeal the ACA.

Christie: “It’s about delivering on issues that voters care about. So the fact is that they care deeply about Obamacare. And Donald Trump promised them he’d repeal and replace it. He had a Republican Congress. He didn’t do it.”

Christie: “What did [Trump] accomplish as President?

❌ Repeal and replace Obamacare”

Christie: “I don’t like Obamacare. … I will not commit to expanding Obamacare.”

As governor, Christie tried to block the creation of an online marketplace for New Jerseyans to find affordable health insurance.

New York Times: “In a swipe at President Obama’s signature health care legislation, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey vetoed on Thursday an online marketplace that the Legislature created to help residents and small businesses buy health insurance.”

This week, Trump doubled down on renewing his years-long effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, telling MAGA Republicans to “never give up” in their efforts to “terminate” the landmark legislation. 

Daily Beast: “Trump Revives Plan to Dismantle Obamacare if Elected in 2024”

Mediaite: “‘OBAMACARE SUCKS!!!’ Trump Rants About New Plan — Years After He Promised It Was ‘Two Weeks’ Away”

The Messenger: “Former President Donald Trump said he is ‘seriously looking at alternatives’ to Obamacare in a new post on his social media platform Truth Social. He also called it a ‘low point for the Republican Party’ that lawmakers failed to ‘terminate’ the health insurance program established by the Affordable Care Act. According to the latest figures this year, more than 40 million Americans rely on the program for those who can’t afford private plans.”

Trump: “The cost of Obamacare is out of control, plus, it’s not good Healthcare. I’m seriously looking at alternatives. We had a couple of Republican Senators who campaigned for 6 years against it, and then raised their hands not to terminate it. It was a low point for the Republican Party, but we should never give up!”

If Christie, Trump, or another MAGA Republican takes power and repeals the Affordable Care Act, as many as 135 million Americans with preexisting conditions could have their protections ripped away from them – opening the potential for insurance companies to discriminate against them.

Center for American Progress: “According to new estimates from the Center for American Progress, 135 million people under age 65, or about half of nonelderly people, have a preexisting condition that an insurer could use to discriminate against them if they ever sought coverage through the individual market in the absence of ACA protections.”

KFF Poll: “Majorities of Democrats [88%], Republicans [62%], and independents [73%] say it is ‘very important’ to continue each of [the Affordable Care Act’s] protections for people with pre-existing conditions.”

Repealing the Affordable Care Act is extremely unpopular and would be devastating for the millions of Americans who depend on it.

Jon Favreau: “If Trump wins, 40 million people could lose their health care, and insurance companies would get to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. If Biden wins, that…won’t happen.”

KFF Poll: 64% believe it is “very important” insurance companies continue to be prohibited from charging sick people more – including 55% of Republicans. 

NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll: “Thirteen years after the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, more than eight in ten Americans (83%) either agree or strongly agree that all Americans have a basic right to healthcare coverage.”

Bryan Bennett: “Per our October @NavigatorSurvey research, repealing the ACA (and January 6) remain the top concerns about Trump’s first term as president”
Washington Post: “But what’s clear is that an effort to ‘terminate’ Obamacare is not something Americans are pining for. Not only were the GOP’s efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare during Trump’s term historically unpopular, but the law also appears to have gotten more popular since then. … And when politicians talk of ending health insurance for tens of millions of Americans, dropping coverage of preexisting conditions and cutting Obamacare’s Medicaid funding, things get even dicier.”