In a bid to win over voters, Michigan Rep. Tom Barrett is making efforts to dissociate himself from the health care sector, despite receiving substantial campaign contributions from the industry.
In a recent campaign advertisement, Barrett declares he hasn’t accepted any funds from private health insurers, stating, “I sent their money back and told them to lower premiums instead.”
Records from the Federal Elections Commission reveal that while Barrett has returned some contributions from the insurance sector this year, not all have been refunded. Notably, a $1,000 donation received in June from the UnitedHealth Group PAC remains unreturned.
Although Barrett has distanced himself from insurance providers, he continues to receive backing from related industries, particularly the pharmaceutical sector. Over $20,000 has been contributed by the pharmaceutical industry to support Barrett’s 2022 and 2024 campaign efforts.
In Congress, Barrett has supported legislation favorable to the pharmaceutical industry. He voted for the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which reduced Medicare’s leverage to negotiate drug prices for seniors. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, this will lead to an extra $8.8 billion in revenue for major pharmaceutical firms.
The OBBB also mandates a $1 trillion reduction in Medicaid funding over the coming decade, potentially resulting in the loss of health insurance for up to 14,621 constituents in Barrett’s district.
Additionally, Barrett opposed the extension of Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidies, which had helped lower monthly premiums for approximately 22 million Americans. This move could lead to around 8,600 individuals in his district losing their health coverage.
Barrett’s campaign in 2026 is further supported by the American Action Network, a conservative advocacy group with partial funding from Big Pharma and health insurers. The group has financed a television ad in Barrett’s favor.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) considers Barrett one of the most at-risk Republican incumbents facing reelection. His Democratic challenger is activist Will Lawrence.
The post Barrett’s health care record undercuts campaign ad appeared first on American Journal News.
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