Retired Arizonans tell Rep. Schweikert to protect Medicaid as GOP pushes for massive cuts

Retired Arizonans gathered outside Rep. David Schweikert’s Scottsdale office, urging him to oppose GOP-proposed Medicaid cuts that would hurt his own constituents.

Hundreds of concerned citizens gathered outside Republican Rep. David Schweikert’s office in North Scottsdale on Monday, urging the congressman to protect Medicaid, a government funded program that provides health insurance for one in four Arizonans. 

The protests have been ongoing for 13 consecutive weeks, with activists from Indivisible, Scottsdale Women Rising, and other groups gathering outside Schweikert’s office—equipped with signs, drums and passion—to urge the congressman to reject a GOP budget proposal which calls for $625 billion in cuts to Medicaid. 

The Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans (AARA) began attending the weekly protests this month to commemorate Older Americans Month. About 40 concerned seniors from the group protested along the sidewalks, calling for the congressman to defend Medicaid.

“We want him to listen to his constituents, not the billionaire class, but the people who actually put him in office. And those are us, the people who are here today,” said Linda Somo, a 79-year-old retiree and president of the AARA.  

Somo felt it was necessary to fight back against the Republican budget proposal because it could result in millions of Americans losing their health care coverage. 

Nearly 2 million Arizonans rely on Medicaid for coverage, including over 156,000 living in Schweikert’s district. About 250,000 Arizona seniors enrolled in Medicare also rely on Medicaid, often to help cover the cost of nursing homes or at-home care. More than 14,000 of these seniors live in Schweikert’s district.

For Somo, it’s simple — a cut to Medicaid will hurt her community and communities she cares about. 

“As an important part of the community, and a large voting bloc, seniors must speak up to protect the benefits that we all worked so hard for, not only for ourselves but for future generations,” said Somo. 

The weekly demonstrations outside Schweikert’s North Scottsdale office have drawn an intergenerational crowd—from 20-year-old students to 70-year-old retirees—who live in the district and want him to oppose any cuts to Medicaid.

Shea Najafi, an organizer with Scottsdale Women Rising, said her group has repeatedly requested meetings with Schweikert, but has received no response. It’s what prompted them to take matters into their own hands, organizing weekly rallies outside his office until he agrees to meet with concerned constituents.

“Schweikert’s decisions are at odds with what’s best for his constituents,” Najafi said. “These rallies have taken place for 13 weeks, during which our representative has refused to answer questions or hear the concerns of the very people who elected him.”

A representative from Schweikert’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

In March, all Republican members of Arizona’s congressional delegation, including Schweikert, voted in favor of a resolution that paved the way for billions in Medicaid cuts. Schweikert, who represents a flippable district, has faced growing pressure from constituents to oppose the GOP budget.

Until the congressman publicly voices his opposition to cuts, concerned seniors like Somo say they plan to keep showing up every Monday morning—and they’re inviting fellow Arizonans to join them. The group is also urging constituents to call Schweikert’s district office to voice their concerns and share personal stories about the importance of Medicaid.