Vice Presidential Debate: Tim Walz Makes Clear That Kamala Harris is the Only Candidate Who Has Lowered Drug Prices and Made Health Care More Affordable

When Vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz faced off in New York Tuesday for their debate, Governor Walz took the opportunity to tout Vice President Kamala Harris’ record on seniors’ issues.

“Throughout the debate Governor Walz spoke powerfully about the importance of ensuring Americans have quality health care that they can afford.”

Walz reminded Americans of Vice President Harris’ record of voting to protect people with pre-existing health conditions from being priced out of health insurance and lowering prescription drug prices for people with Medicare, including capping insulin prices at $35 a month.

“Rather than talk about Donald Trump’s actual record on these issues, Senator Vance outrageously tried to give Donald Trump credit for the Affordable Care Act’s success and falsely claimed that Trump had lowered drug prices while in the White House,” Fiesta noted.

Alliance President Robert Roach, Jr. stressed that older Americans face a stark choice in this year’s presidential election. 

“Alliance members are continuing to educate their friends, families and neighbors about what’s at stake for seniors in this election and the clear differences between the two tickets,” said President Roach. “We must elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz President and Vice President for the sake of older Americans across the nation.”

Retired Americans PAC Launches New Ad for Michigan’s Close Senate Race

Retired Americans PAC, the independent political arm of the Alliance, launched a new $1 million digital ad campaign this week across Michigan that draws attention to Mike Rogers’ record of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from pharmaceutical corporations while voting against lower drug prices for seniors. Rogers’ opponent in the November 5th Senate election is Democrat Elissa Slotkin.

Rep. Slotkin, who currently represents Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, earned a 100%  lifetime pro-retiree score in the Alliance’s Congressional Voting Record. In contrast, Mike Rogers, who served in Congress from 2001-2015, earned a dismal 7% lifetime pro-retiree score.

“It’s clear that Mike Rogers would vote to raise drug prices for older Michiganders to protect drug corporation profits by repealing the law that requires Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices,” said Fiesta, who is also Treasurer of Retired Americans PAC. “He even wrote a bill to make opioids more widely available." 

"Older voters will play a critical role in this election," added Fiesta. "They need to know the facts so they can vote for the candidate who will protect their interests.”

Additional independent expenditure campaigns are currently running in the following congressional districts: 

• Arizona’s 1st Congressional District - “Crisis” 

• Arizona’s 6th Congressional District - “Sold Out”

• Michigan’s 7th Congressional District -  “Tom Barrett and Project 2025” 

• Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District - “No Games” 

• Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District - “Game Show”

Ohio Alliance President Challenges State Drop Box Restrictions for Voters with Disabilities

Relatives and friends delivering ballots for voters with disabilities should be allowed to use drop boxes, according to a lawsuit filed Friday by the Ohio Democratic Party and two voters, including Ohio Alliance president Norm Wernet.

The lawsuit challenges a new directive from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose requiring those delivering ballots to sign a form inside a county board of elections office during operating hours. This prevents them from using drop boxes stationed outside county boards of elections.

LaRose’s directive followed a federal judge's ruling in July that Ohio's election law violated the rights of people with disabilities by limiting who could drop off their ballots.

LaRose's office clarified last week that boards of elections were "highly encouraged" to create a drive-through ballot drop-off option, especially during high turnout times. According to the lawsuit, it is unlikely that the service will be offered 24 hours a day, since the drive-through option must be staffed by at least one Republican and one Democrat.

The suit contends that LaRose's rules violate state and federal laws and make it harder to vote.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs have asked the Ohio Supreme Court to order LaRose to rescind his directive. That would eliminate the form required for people dropping off ballots for others and allow designated ballot deliverers to use drop boxes.

"Absentee voters and their assistants face new hurdles to voting," wrote Ohio attorney Don McTigue and two lawyers with the Elias Law Group. "And all voters will be subjected to longer lines and wait times at their board of elections offices.”

Mr. Wernet planned to deliver ballots for himself and his wife to the Franklin County Board of Elections dropbox. His wife has early-stage dementia and walking into the board of elections would be "taxing on his time and his health," he said.

The Ohio Supreme Court is composed of four Republican and three Democratic justices. According to the Canton Repository, it's not yet clear when they will rule on this lawsuit. Early voting begins on October 8.

“The Alliance continues to fight voter suppression in many forms in states all across the country,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “There is nothing more important than ensuring all Americans’ voices are heard at the ballot box.”

Texas Retirees Rally to Encourage Voting Early

Texas Alliance members rallied today to get out the vote and encourage voting early by mail, since Texas voters get their ballots a full month before the November 5 election. The event took place in Rowlett, a suburb of Dallas, days after a federal judge struck down a key provision of Texas’s 2021 omnibus voter suppression legislation, Senate Bill 1. The judge found unconstitutional a provision that criminally restricted how paid canvassers can engage with voters in the presence of a mail-in ballot. 

“A provision of SB1 would have prevented Texans from advocating for candidates in the presence of an absentee ballot,” said Gene Lantz, President of the Texas Alliance. “However, the court’s recent ruling declared that organizers and activists in Texas should be able to engage in activities like canvassing, voter assistance and get-out-the-vote efforts ahead of the November 5 general election without fear of criminal liability.”

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