North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin released the following statement after Senator Tillis voted to give a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court to a nominee who is hostile the Affordable Care Act and vital protections many North Carolina families rely on:

“Just days before an election, Senator Tillis has shown he cares little about the more than three million North Carolinians who have already cast a ballot and even less for those with a pre-existing condition who could be hurt by this Court and this nominee. In the middle of a pandemic, when 4,183 North Carolinians have died and cases are on the rise, the last thing we should be doing is moving closer to taking away people’s health care, including protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

“President Trump and Senate Republicans have made clear time and time again they have no health care plan. He and Senator Tillis have no plan on how to protect the nearly 5 million North Carolinians with a pre-existing condition. North Carolinians want a president who will ensure more people have access to quality, affordable health care, not one who admitted to the American people that it would be ‘good’ if the Affordable Care Act is eliminated, when we really need it the most.

“Just this weekend, Senator Tillis let slip why they are rushing ahead with this confirmation – he hopes that the Supreme Court strikes down the Affordable Care Act, upends our health care, and ends protections for people with pre-existing conditions. This vote today to inch us closer to that outcome is a continuation of his decade-long fight against our health care – from blocking Medicaid expansion in the legislature, voting repeatedly to undermine the ACA, and sitting by silently as this administration waves the white flag on fighting this pandemic. Luckily for North Carolinians, today’s vote will be one of Senator Tillis’ last in the U.S. Senate.”