Californians Divided Over Health Law, According To Survey

In other news about how health policies are playing in this campaign season, fact checkers examine statements from the Wisconsin governor’s race and a West Virginia congressional contest. Meanwhile, abortion continues to be a topic on the Texas gubernatorial campaign trail.

Sacramento Bee: Poll: Obamacare Support Sliding, Jerry Brown, Water-Bond Up Big

The Affordable Care Act continues to divide Californians, who remain skeptical four years after its passage despite the state’s relatively smooth launch in which more than 1.2 million people enrolled in health insurance coverage. A new survey released late Tuesday found some 42 percent of state residents generally view the law favorably, while 46 percent harbor unfavorable opinions. Support is down somewhat since May, before a wave of targeted TV ads began in a handful of competitive congressional districts (Cadelago, 9/23).

PolitiFact Wisconsin: Mary Burke ‘Supports Obamacare Unequivocally’ And Wants To Expand It, Says Scott Walker

[Gov. Scott] Walker provided no evidence that [Mary] Burke has expressed unequivocal support for the Affordable Care Act, and we are not aware of any. At the same time, Burke does back the law and she supports expanding it through making more people eligible for Medicaid. Walker’s statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details. We rate it Half True (Tom Kertscher, 9/23).

Other health policy issues are in play, too –

Dallas Morning News: Wendy Davis And Greg Abbott Clash Over Abortion And Other Women’s Issues

The candidates for governor renewed their fight over women’s issues Tuesday, with Wendy Davis charging that Greg Abbott had belittled women with his strict abortion stance and Abbott countering that Davis was playing politics instead of helping solve issues important to women. Speaking at a Dallas luncheon sponsored by Annie’s List, a group that promotes progressive female candidates, Davis blistered Abbott for supporting a ban on abortion in all cases except when the woman’s life is at risk (Jeffers, 9/23).

The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker: A Sleazy Attack Puts Words In The Other Candidate’s Mouth

Our colleagues at FactCheck.org have already done yeoman work in untangling issues involving black lung benefits in the West Virginia race between Rep. Nick Rahall and challenger Evan Jenkins (R). But we don’t want to pass this one up. How often does a candidate literally put words in another candidate’s mouth? (Kessler, 9/24).

Californians Divided Over Health Law, According To Survey