Health care still a key issue in Spratt, Mulvaney race

South Carolina Rep. John Spratt, a 28-year Democratic incumbent fighting for his political life, squared off against his challenger, Republican state Sen. Mick Mulvaney, Tuesday night, and health care — not the economy or immigration — was the issue that divided the candidates most deeply.

The debate, held at an upscale country club in Lake Wylie, S.C., and hosted by the Lions Club, was remarkably low-key in appearance, but the election itself has important national implications. About 200 people attended and dined on chopped house salads, herb and mustard roasted strip loin entrees and chocolate silk tart desserts. Wine, beer and soda accompanied the meal. No television cameras were allowed at the request of the Spratt campaign.

The debate touched on a number of issues, including immigration, the federal deficit and energy. Although no questions were asked specifically about health care, Mulvaney highlighted Spratt’s vote for the Affordable Care Act as one of the main reasons the incumbent should be voted out.

“There was a time when my congressman would have been the one to stand up to Nancy Pelosi on health care and say, ‘no, I’ve gone with you on other things, but I’m not going with you on this,’” Mulvaney said in his closing remarks. “He was in the right place at the right time on the right issue to make a real difference for the people in South Carolina. There was a time when he would have led the charge against what was happening in Washington, but those times have changed.”

Spratt, on the other hand, defended his vote for health care reform as “the right thing” but added that much about the bill needs to be changed. He said he believes he did not go against the wishes of his district in supporting the bill, though he recognized the considerable opposition to the bill.

“The bill is easy of complexities, and it’s easy to find fault with a bill like this,” Spratt told a handful of reporters at an informal press conference after the debate. “I’m convinced that before it’s operative law, there will be a number of changes in it to make it more accommodating, particularly to small businesses.”

Mulvaney disagreed.

“He’s had the chance to change it,” Mulvaney said. “He was the budget chairman. People forget that he was the primary sponsor of this bill. This is his bill.”

The debate demonstrated how health care, now out of the news cycle, is nevertheless affecting the midterm elections and is still on the minds of many voters.

Spratt, who was the sole sponsor of the reconciliation version of the bill and faced a hostile crowd at a town hall meeting last August, denied that he voted for the health care reform bill because of his position in the Democratic leadership, as House Budget Committee chairman.

“I wouldn’t cast a vote of that magnitude and importance on the basis of what the leadership has decided. Not by any means,” he said.

Mulvaney said that repealing the health care bill should be the “biggest priority when we go back in January” and wants to make it the main issue of 2012 presidential elections.