Mississippians are thirteen days from choosing who will represent them in the U.S. Senate. MPB's Ashley Norwood reports on a candidate forum in the capital city.
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Mike Espy, is speaking to voters in Jackson. At a forum yesterday hosted by Working Together Jackson, Espy tells voters that healthcare is the number one issue in Mississippi.
"We have all these rural hospitals closing. We have prescription drug costs going up. We have healthcare costs going up. We have wages barely going up so when people get sick, they're going to the hospital and they can't cover the entire bill. I believe that we ought to make sure that we can get the Medicaid money placed in these rural hospitals. That we ought to cover everyone with pre-existing conditions. We can do that in America," said Espy.
This week, Republican U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith co-sponsored a bill she says will protect citizens with pre-existing illnesses. At the forum, Espy calls the bill "a sham."
Sarah Campbell is one of the event organizers. She says it was important candidate Espy attended the public forum to learn about other issues citizens are dealing with.
"Should he be successful in the runoff he goes into office knowing day one I need to be working on public education, healthy food financing, affordable housing, living wage. So it equips him, at the same time we feel that we are in relationship," said Campbell.
Campbell says Republican candidate Cindy Hyde-Smith was also invited to the forum. A spokesman from Hyde-Smith's campaign says she was absent due to her work in the Senate. Ashley Norwood, MPB News.
