The Hill's Healthwatch: Rep. Gary Peters is being criticized from both the right and the left this week over his support for healthcare reform

Healthcare takes center stage in Michigan
By Mike Lillis - 10/11/10 01:09 PM ET
Healthwatch
The Hill's Healthcare blog

Michigan Democratic Rep. Gary Peters is being criticized from both the right and the left this week over his support for healthcare reform.

In a debate Sunday with his Republican, independent and Green Party challengers, the freshman Democrat was forced to defend his vote against three candidates who all want to see the law repealed, the Detroit Free Press reported.

"Peters defended his vote, saying he still feels it's critical to provide affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, noting that it does a variety of important things, like prohibit insurance companies from rescinding coverage for people who get sick and allow children to stay on their parents' insurance benefits until age 26," the Free Press wrote.

Republican Andrew "Rocky" Raczkowski disagreed. "It was a power grab by our government," he said. "I pledge to repeal it."

Meanwhile, Green Party candidate Douglas Campbell says the new law is too conservative. He wants to scrap it in favor of a universal coverage system backed by the federal government, the Free Press noted.

The latest analysis from the Cook Political Report indicates the race is tight but that the district "leans Democratic."

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/123663-healthcare-takes-center-stage-in-michigan