DE LA CRUZ THROWS WEIGHT BEHIND COAKLEY'S BID TO KEEP KENNEDY'S SEAT IN CRITICAL MASSACHUSETTS SENATE RACE
Calling Massachusetts voters from New York, TV correspondent Veronica De La Cruz is counting on her supporters to help turn out the vote for Democratic hopeful Martha Coakley and keep hope for health care reform and “Eric’s Law” alive.
NEW YORK, NY – January 18, 2010 - After spending a full day calling voters in Massachusetts and encouraging them to show up at the polls on Tuesday to vote for Democratic Senate candidate Martha Coakley, television journalist and former CNN anchor Veronica De La Cruz is leaving nothing to chance in her fight for health care reform. With the Democrats’ 60-vote filibuster-proof bloc hanging in the balance, De La Cruz is fighting harder than ever for what she calls “Eric’s Law,” reform legislation named in honor of her brother, Eric De La Cruz, who passed away July 4, 2009 after he was unable to get adequate private insurance due to a preexisting condition.
The potential irony of the Senate seat long held by Ted Kennedy – a lifelong proponent of health care reform – being used for its possible destruction is not lost on De La Cruz. “If the Massachusetts Senate seat goes to a Republican, which has not been the case in that state for 48 years, the paper-thin margin in Congress for passage of the health care reform bill being currently negotiated could be lost,” De La Cruz noted. “Every vote for (GOP candidate) Scott Brown is a vote against real change in this country. Not only would he set health care reform back, but if you look at his qualifications and record, he’ll set the state of Massachusetts back 40 years. Sadly, his campaign has been more about obstructionism and political warfare than about the people of Massachusetts or the welfare of American citizens.”
In recent months, De La Cruz has been sharing the emotional story of her brother’s tragic battle against insurance red tape with audiences across the country. She has also created a new website, www.ericslaw.com, where visitors can learn more about the need for reform, progress of the bills currently in consideration in Congress, and action steps they can take to get involved. De La Cruz has been actively involved in advocacy and education efforts surrounding the issue since her brother’s passing this July.
“If we can pass legislation that offers a sound foundation to begin controlling rising health care costs and put an end to insurance discrimination based on pre-existing conditions,” De La Cruz continued, “then I feel like all the work that we’ve put into this will have been worth it. Right now, the voters of Massachusetts have a historic opportunity to make a huge difference in this mission. And I am urging them to ensure no one else has to suffer the way that Eric did by voting for Martha Coakley. She is the right person for the job.”
De La Cruz is urging Massachusetts democrats to visit the polls early on Tuesday. She is also encouraging others outside the state to help support Coakley’s bid for the Senate by going to http://www.marthacoakley.com/get_involved/Neighbor-to-Neighbor to call Massachusetts voters and remind them of polling locations and times.
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