Main Street Action Targets Lawmakers Over 'Big Ugly' Healthcare Law Impact

Main Street Action and Main Street Action PAC have launched a multi-state Congressional Accountability Campaign targeting lawmakers who supported the recently passed "Big Ugly" healthcare law. The campaign, focused on Iowa, Wisconsin, and Virginia, aims to inform voters about the law's impact on small businesses, particularly concerning rising healthcare costs and premium spikes. Lawmakers targeted include Rep. Derrick Van Orden, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Rep. Zach Nunn, and Rep. Jen Kiggans, all of whom voted in favor of the legislation despite warnings from small business owners about its negative effects on healthcare affordability. The "Big Ugly" law introduces significant cuts and structural changes to key healthcare programs, leading to projected premium increases for small employers, additional administrative burdens, and destabilization of the individual insurance marketplace. This has raised concerns among entrepreneurs who rely on these marketplaces for themselves and their employees. Main Street Action emphasizes the disconnect between lawmakers’ votes and the challenges faced by small businesses in managing rising premiums, limited coverage options, and higher out-of-pocket costs. Main Street Action PAC positions itself as a counterbalance to large corporate business lobbies, representing small business owners who experience the direct consequences of economic and healthcare policies. Their campaign uses billboards, digital advertising, and voter outreach, targeting more than 30,000 constituents per state, to hold elected officials accountable for votes that increase healthcare costs. The PAC highlights the ongoing impact of such legislative decisions on the financial health and sustainability of small businesses. The campaign aligns with Main Street Action’s broader mission to elevate the voices of small business owners as credible messengers who reflect lived economic realities, including payroll management and community support. By maintaining continuous advocacy beyond election cycles, Main Street Action PAC seeks to ensure accountability and promote policies that support the viability of small businesses in the healthcare environment. This initiative builds on previous successes in Wisconsin and Iowa and plans to expand outreach efforts to Virginia and beyond in the upcoming 2026 federal elections.