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Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., believed that Republicans had accomplished numerous feats in 2025, but he and his party had fallen woefully short of truly understanding what the everyday American thinks.
“We, as Republicans, and I have said this so many times, we’re lousy,” Justice told Fox News Digital. “We’re great at doing the good things, but we’re lousy at really knowing what Toby and Edith are thinking. And that causes a lot of problems.”
“Toby” and “Edith” are the names Justice gives to the average voter, a group he said that he knows well from his time as West Virginia’s governor for eight years before joining the Senate after scoring an easy victory in the 2024 election.
SEN MURPHY WARNS ‘PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE’ AS CONGRESS PUNTS ON EXPIRING OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES
Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., believes that Republicans are good at several things, but “lousy” at truly understanding what the average American needs. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Justice’s frustration came as Congress was readying to leave Washington, D.C., until the new year. Lawmakers had failed to tackle one last remaining issue after scores of legislative victories in the upper chamber: extending, or replacing, expiring Obamacare premium subsidies.
Those tax credits are set to lapse Wednesday, and tens of millions of Americans will see their out-of-pocket costs for healthcare double, triple and in some cases skyrocket by more than 300%.
Justice said that, as governor, there was understanding the credits would expire, given that Democrats under former President Joe Biden both enhanced the subsidies and set an expiration date for the end of the year.
REPUBLICANS CONSIDER USING RECONCILIATION AGAIN AFTER TRUMP’S BIGGEST LEGISLATIVE WIN
Both Republicans’ and Democrats’ Obamacare fixes went down in flames, but lawmakers are hoping for a solution in the aftermath. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has pinned the impending crisis on the GOP, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., hoped that enough Democrats would join Republicans on reforms. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images ; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
But to Toby and Edith, the political machinations and fights that dominated the latter part of the year mattered little. It’s the end result that they’re paying attention to, Justice said.
“They’re thinking, ‘Well, you know, I know [former President Barack] Obama started all this stuff, and I know it didn’t work, and everything, but the Republicans are pretty much in charge right now,’” Justice said. “‘So, you know, if they’re in charge, why don’t they fix it?’”
Effectively, he said, the extra money that people had to work with thanks to the subsidies would vanish, putting families and the Tobys and Ediths in the country under more financial strain.
“That’s how they think, you know,” Justice said. “And so what I would say to you is, if Republicans aren’t concerned about that, they’re making a bad move on the chessboard.”
SENATE QUIETLY WORKS ON BIPARTISAN OBAMACARE FIX AS HEALTHCARE CLIFF NEARS
Justice lauded President Donald Trump and Republicans’ work throughout the year. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
What a fix could look like is in the air, for now. Senate Republicans’ plan to convert the subsidies into health savings accounts failed. So did Senate Democrats’ push for a three-year extension.
There are options bubbling from the House, including the GOP’s package that doesn’t address the subsidies, and a bipartisan plan that, similar to Senate Democrats’ proposal, would extend the subsidies for three years. The latter is expected to get a vote in early January.
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Justice lauded President Donald Trump and Republicans’ work throughout the year, arguing that the GOP trifecta had “almost pitched nine perfect games,” but the healthcare issue was one that would sting, politically and on the ground.
“I think just an extension doesn’t work,” Justice said. “We need to fix it. We need to fix it all. And I think that’s what President Trump is really trying to do. He’s trying to get the money in their hands, instead of the money to insurance companies. All that’s great and everything, but I’m telling you, our messaging is, as Republicans, is not great in my book.”