With midterm elections fast approaching, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has let it be known that Republicans aren’t done trying to repeal Obamacare.

Calling the GOP’s previous attempt to end the Affordable Care Act “the one disappointment of this Congress from a Republican point of view,” McConnell told Reuters on Wednesday that his party could make another run at President Barack Obama’s signature health care law if Republicans expand their majorities during next month’s midterm elections.

“If we had the votes to completely start over, we’d do it. But that depends on what happens in a couple weeks,” McConnell said, referring to the November midterms. “We’re not satisfied with the way Obamacare is working.”


McConnell’s remarks come a day after he threatened to go after funding for Medicare and Social Security due to the “very disturbing” national debt. Of course, McConnell’s Senate passed a tax bill costing $1.4 trillion in December 2017 that has overwhelmingly benefited corporations.

Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Susan Collins (R-ME) were the only members of their party to vote against a July 2017 effort to repeal Obamacare. McCain, who died of brain cancer in August, famously cast the final and deciding vote in a 51-49 margin.

Despite attempts by Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, to sabotage Obamacare, enrollment for 2018 was at 96 percent of the previous year’s level.

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) reacted to McConnell’s comments on Twitter, noting that Republicans “really are coming after your healthcare.”

I think sometimes people think it’s some partisan talking point cooked up by pollsters or whatever. But they really are coming after your healthcare. https://t.co/ofLmdUvybw — Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) October 17, 2018

According to an August 19-21 poll conducted by Fox News, the Affordable Care Act was more popular with voters than the recently enacted Republican tax cuts. As Real Clear Politics reported two weeks ago, “Numerous national polls show health care topping the economy as the number one issue for voters this election cycle.”