Democrats going after Trump's megabill tell their own stories of needing Medicaid and other aid programs
Source: CNN Politics
Published 7:00 AM EDT, Sat July 5, 2025
CNN — As Democrats rush to define President Donald Trump’s domestic policy and immigration law, a handful of liberal candidates are relying on their personal experiences with programs facing key cuts to highlight the broad scope of the legislation and target Republicans who voted for it.
Randy Villegas, who is challenging California Republican Rep. David Valadao in a district with one of the country’s highest concentrations of Medicaid recipients, said that the program covered his mother’s prenatal care when he was born. Arizona’s JoAnna Mendoza credits government assistance programs for allowing her to serve her country as a Marine.
And one district over from Mendoza, 25-year-old first-time candidate Deja Foxx leads with her backstory as the daughter of a single mom to distinguish herself ahead of a July 15 Democratic primary. “I have lived the policies people in DC debate,” Foxx told CNN in an interview. “I have a different sense of understanding and urgency.”
For Democrats, tapping into the personal stories of people impacted by policies they oppose is a familiar strategy. They’re hoping to make Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” a political albatross for the GOP by challenging the Republican argument that those affected by cuts are either refusing to work, committing fraud or living in the US without authorization.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/05/politics/democrats-messaging-trump-bill-medicaid-stories