Cancer survivor’s mom shames GOP congressman: ‘He ignored us’

The mother of a teenage cancer survivor is speaking out against Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) for voting to strip protections from people like her daughter, and for ignoring their pleas for help.

Colleen Bowman and her 14 year-old daughter Ella appear in a powerful new ad for Democratic challenger Aftab Pureval, in which Mrs. Bowman urges voters to remember Chabot’s record on Election Day.

“If Steve Chabot had his way, Ella could be left without healthcare,” Bowman says in the ad.

“Steve Chabot has voted to strip protections from people with pre-existing conditions,” Bowman continues. “I know, because my daughter and I repeatedly contacted Steve Chabot, begging him to protect cancer survivors like Ella. He ignored us.”

The Bowmans’ story is a devastating reminder of Chabot’s heartless disregard for his own constituents’ health.

Chabot repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act without any replacement at all, which would have completely stripped away all protections for people with pre-existing conditions, like Ella.

There are an estimated 306,400 people with pre-existing conditions living in Chabot’s district — more than 41 percent of the total population.

Chabot also voted in favor of the failed Trumpcare bill, which would have allowed insurers to price sick customers out of the market. That bill would have thrown more than 35,000 residents of Chabot’s district off of their insurance entirely.

And since Chabot can’t defend those votes, he simply lies about them, as he did during a debate last week.

As heartbreaking as it is to hear that Chabot ignored Ella’s pleas for help, it is hardly surprising. Chabot has not held an in-person town hall event with his own constituents in six years, instead opting for telephone events at which Chabot can screen the questions.

Aftab Pureval, on the other hand, has promised to protect the Affordable Care Act. And unlike Chabot, he’s happy to engage with the people who live in his district.

If Chabot won’t listen to people like Ella and her mom, perhaps Ohio voters will.