Facing a tough re-election race, Pennsylvania Congressman Scott Perry, a seven-term Republican, acknowledged that voters have lost trust in the GOP to improve health care. Speaking to NBC News before the House went on a long break for the election season, Perry noted that Republicans have struggled to make progress on health care policies. He pointed out that even when the House passes legislation, it often fails to move forward in the Senate. Health care is now seen as a potential weakness for the Republican Party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, when Democrats aim to regain control of both the House and Senate. Recent polls show that voters trust Democrats over Republicans on health care by a significant margin—22 points in an NBC News survey and 24 points in a New York Times-Siena College poll. Republicans are trying to address this issue, using populist language to criticize insurance and pharmaceutical companies. According to three GOP strategists, the goal is not necessarily to win the health care debate but to reduce the Democratic advantage. In Michigan, Senate candidate Mike Rogers is running an ad that criticizes high prescription drug costs, comparing them to those in Canada. He has also criticized his Democratic opponent’s “Medicare for All” proposal. In Iowa, Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson has launched ads accusing health care companies of “ripping off” consumers and aligning with former President Trump’s efforts to challenge insurance companies. In New Jersey, Republican Rep. Tom Kean is running ads that highlight how families suffer due to big insurance companies, while also promoting a bill to strengthen mental health protections. Even in conservative Kansas, Senator Roger Marshall is running ads that praise his efforts to stand up to insurance companies. Democrats, on the other hand, are criticizing Republican efforts to cut funding for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Republicans passed a $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts as part of former President Donald Trump’s legislation, and they also eliminated a funding source for the ACA, which could leave over 10 million people without insurance or facing higher costs. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said that restoring these funds would be a top priority if Democrats regain control of the House. Republicans have long supported reducing health care spending to fund tax cuts, but this approach is clashing with their growing base of working-class voters who rely on these programs. Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who co-conducts the NBC News poll, noted that health care is a major issue for voters, and Republicans need to engage on it, even if they don’t expect to win. According to NBC News polling, Democrats have held a consistent lead on health care since the early 1990s, with the gap reaching over 30 points in 2008 before narrowing in more recent years. While Republicans have focused on cutting health care funding, the White House has seen popularity in its efforts to lower drug prices, which has encouraged some Republican candidates to run on those issues. However, Republican lawmakers have not clearly outlined their plans for health care policy if they retain control of Congress, leaving voters uncertain about their future direction.