Over 200,000 Mississippians Lost Health Coverage Ahead of Election

More than 200,000 residents in Mississippi lost their health insurance earlier this year. The drop occurred after Affordable Care Act subsidies expired and Medicaid faced cuts under the One Big Beautiful Bill, according to state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. This figure sits at the center of the campaign between Democrat Michael Chiaradio and incumbent Republican Representative Michael Guest.

The 3rd Congressional District seat is up for grabs in this midterm cycle. It is part of a slate that also includes a state Senate race. Both candidates are touring the district to pitch their messages to voters before the election.

Guest, who is seeking a fifth term, points to his voting record as evidence of economic growth. He cites a Republican majority that he says has driven more business investment into Mississippi. He argues that recent tax legislation has put more money in the pockets of residents.

"The Working Families Tax Cuts in which all Mississippians who make more than $12,000 now are seeing more in their take home pay," Guest said. "We protected the child tax credit; we protected the standard deduction from being cut in half. No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on social security."

Chiaradio, a farmer and businessman who has lived in the state for three years, positions himself as an outsider to traditional Washington politics. He said he moved to Mississippi on purpose to invest and start a business. He argues that his presence counters the common complaint about residents leaving the state for better opportunities.

"I’m the opposite of what has become a real pain point for a lot of Mississippians," Chiaradio said. "They call it ‘brain drain’ so to make money someone goes and I did the opposite. I came here on purpose, I invested, bought some property, started a business. I want to be here."

The candidates largely agree on border security, though they frame the issue differently. Guest stated that the border is one of the most secure in the nation's history. Chiaradio, however, expressed frustration with previous Democratic leadership for prioritizing aid to Ukraine over processing immigration claims at the border.

The war in Iran has also become a major topic. Guest supports President Donald Trump's handling of the conflict. He proposed a temporary suspension of the gas tax to help consumers offset higher fuel prices. He also suggested banning the export of diesel to raise domestic prices and encourage local use.

Chiaradio wants the U.S. military to pull back from the conflict. He believes the current approach has widened the divide between the United States and its adversaries. His health care plan focuses on giving patients more control over where they receive treatment and buy prescriptions.

"Especially as we’re skewed older in our population, it’s just going to cost money to deliver the care, to have the drugs," Chiaradio said. "I think one of the biggest mistakes we make is the subsidies doesn’t come back and give economic growth. So, an elderly person should not be sending $600 to a pharmaceutical company or an insurance company; we should do that. That’s where redistributed income comes in."

Libertarian candidate Erik Kiehal is also running in the race. His campaign did not respond to requests for an interview. The general election is scheduled for November 3.