Senator Husted Downplays Health Care Crisis He Helped Create as "Silly Fight"

During a radio interview Friday morning, Ohio Senator Jon Husted dismissed looming health care price spikes for 20 million Americans, calling it “a silly fight over nothing…”

Husted’s comments come as new polling found that Americans overwhelmingly want Congress to act now to prevent health care costs from increasing. By a margin of 62% to 31%, Americans prioritize stopping massive increases in health insurance premiums for 20 million people, even if it means an extended government shutdown. For independent voters, that gap widens to 64% to 30% — showing how deeply families worry about the rising price of health care.

If Affordable Care Act tax credits will expire in 2026, health care premiums will increase for approximately 580,000 Ohioans.

“When Jon Husted calls protecting affordable health care ‘silly,’ he’s telling every Ohio family struggling to pay their bills that their worries don’t matter,” said a Senate Majority PAC Press Secretary Christyna Thompson. “He’s sided with Republicans who refuse to negotiate to prevent a shutdown and is now belittling efforts to stop health care costs from skyrocketing. Voters are telling us loud and clear that they’ve had enough of political games, but once again, Husted is proving he’s not on the side of working families.”

At a time when health insurance premiums are expected to rise sharply across the country, Husted’s comments reflect a broader pattern from congressional Republicans of minimizing kitchen-table concerns that are top of mind for voters heading into 2026. The Republican-led shutdown is only making things worse for Ohio families — threatening paychecks, driving up health care costs, and risking essential services that millions rely on.

More information on what a Republican shutdown means for Ohio can be found here.