Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamLincoln Project resurfaces Kellyanne Conway tweet calling 306 electoral votes 'historic' Conservative justices help save Obamacare — for now The Hill's Morning Report - Biden wins Arizona, confers with Dem leaders; Trump tweets MORE (R-S.C.) said this week that Republicans would push to repeal ObamaCare if they win back the House and President Trump
Donald John TrumpTrump: New York won't receive COVID-19 vaccine immediately Biden considering Yellen as possible Treasury secretary: report Trump puts Giuliani in charge of election lawsuits: report MORE is reelected in 2020.
"If we can get the House back and keep our majority in the Senate, and President Trump wins reelection, I can promise you not only are we going to repeal ObamaCare, we're going to do it in a smart way where South Carolina will be the biggest winner," Graham said in an interview with a South Carolina radio station.
"We've got to remind people that we're not for ObamaCare."
Graham's repeal bill, introduced in 2017, would eliminate major sections of ObamaCare, including subsidies that help people buy insurance and the Medicaid expansion that covers low-income adults in 36 states and Washington, D.C.
The bill would essentially shift money from states like California that expanded Medicaid to states that didn't, like South Carolina. Such a move could force some states to cut health care services and reduce eligibility.
"If we could get the money back to the states, Democratic policies would be tested against our policies," Graham said.
"This scares the hell out of the Democrats. This is what 2020 is about."
Previous GOP attempts to repeal ObamaCare were a driving force in Democrats taking back the House in 2018, and the issue has also reemerged among 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls debating the best approach to health care.
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Joe BidenTrump: New York won't receive COVID-19 vaccine immediately Biden considering Yellen as possible Treasury secretary: report Obama hits Trump for refusing to concede, says there's 'no legal basis' for challenges MORE has emphasized the need to shore up ObamaCare from attempts by Republicans and the Trump administration to dismantle the law, while several of his progressive rivals have focused on pushing policies such as "Medicare for All."
Democrats ran on protecting ObamaCare during the 2018 midterm elections and accused Republicans of trying to take away protections for those with pre-existing conditions.
House and Senate Democrats plan to follow the same playbook in 2020, as the Trump administration supports a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the entirety of ObamaCare.
As such, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHaspel not in attendance at latest Trump intelligence briefing: reports Overnight Defense: Another Defense official resigns | Pentagon chief says military 'remains strong' despite purge | Top contender for Biden DOD secretary would be historic pick Lincoln Project resurfaces Kellyanne Conway tweet calling 306 electoral votes 'historic' MORE (R-Ky.) has veered away from talking about repealing ObamaCare, instead focusing on smaller health care fixes.
Graham on Tuesday touted his bill, which would allow states to opt out of consumer protections, like those that prevent insurers from charging people with pre-existing conditions more for coverage.
Senate leaders decided in 2017 not to put Graham's repeal bill up for a vote because it didn't have enough support. Conservatives fumed that Republicans failed to repeal ObamaCare despite having a majority in both houses with a Republican president.
GOP Sens. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsWe need a (common) 'sense of the Senate' resolution on transition planning The Hill's Morning Report - Biden wins Arizona, confers with Dem leaders; Trump tweets Deadlock leaves no clear path for lame-duck coronavirus deal MORE (Maine), Rand Paul
Randal (Rand) Howard PaulRand Paul says COVID-19 survivors should 'throw away their masks, go to restaurants, live again' GOP senator in quarantine after being exposed to staffer with COVID-19 Republican Bill Hagerty wins Tennessee Senate race MORE (Ky.) and the late Sen. John McCain
John Sidney McCainMcSally concedes Arizona Senate race Meghan McCain shares meme of her father after networks call Arizona for Biden Obama memoir: Palin VP pick took GOP in direction McCain 'abhorred' MORE (Ariz.) all opposed the bill. But Graham insists it would be different next time.
"We were one vote short in the Senate," Graham said.
