Talk about your odd bedfellows. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spent the afternoon of Sept. 16 with Gov. Nikki Haley in her state of South Carolina, and for what could be three different purposes: to promote the Republican Governor’s Association, which he chairs; to aid Haley’s campaign for re-election in the Palmetto State this year; and perhaps to promote his own potential presidential bid for 2016.
The stocky white Yankee has significant variation to the slender Indian-American who governs that Deep South state, however. And not just in appearance or home region. The two have notable differences when it comes to Medicaid Expansion, too.
In early 2013, Christie was quick to accept the program, pointing out that it would not only aid New Jersey residents in access to healthcare, but would even save them $227 million in taxes in the next fiscal year.
?Accepting these federal resources will provide health insurance to tens of thousands of low-income New Jerseyans, help keep our hospitals financially healthy, and actually save money for New Jersey taxpayers.?
Haley was adamantly against Medicaid Expansion, though. Even though 340,000 in her state would have qualified for the program, she joined Republicans in state legislature in blocking that portion of the Affordable Care Act from use in the Palmetto State. At last year’s CPAC convention, she said:
?Not in South Carolina. We will not expand Medicaid on President Obama’s watch. We will not expand Medicaid ever.?
Their meet-and-greet lunch event, held at Moe’s Southwest Grill in downtown Charleston, had conflicts, too. Suspecting some of the might be Democrats, GOP staffers forced many younger attendees to leave the restaurant ?mid-burrito,? the local Post & Courier reports. And it wasn’t because the chubby gov wanted their meals as seconds to his own, either. The panophobia was possibly set off by members of the South Carolina Progressive Network’s local chapter, who demonstrated across the street from the restaurant despite afternoon rain.
But pro-Medicaid Expansion Christie was sort-of welcome to the region by Democrats. Says Brady Quirk-Girvan, chair of Charleston County’s Democratic Party:
?I hope that in between bites of their burritos Gov. Christie explained to Nikki Haley that South Carolina could create 44,000 jobs, improve the health of people in our state, and most importantly make sure that tax dollars South Carolinians are paying don’t go to other states ? if only she would accept Medicaid Expansion. Nikki Haley’s opposition to Medicaid Expansion goes against the wishes of many medical professionals, the Charleston Chamber of Commerce, and common sense.?
Whether Christie’s visit aided his potential presidential campaign remains questionable, though. A Clemson University poll from earlier this year lists him to have support from only 10 percent of South Carolina voters. And when a New Jersey reporter asked for opinion of Christie at yesterday’s event, an active conservative only harrumphed ?looks like we have another Mitt Romney.?
As NJ Advance Media notes, ?the statement wasn’t meant as a compliment.?
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