BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

Democratic Congressional candidate Tedra Cobb was critical of Congress’s failure to pass a COVID-19 relief bill, says Joe Biden is the best candidate for president, and wants public Medicare that everyone can buy into.

While Cobb has been busy this year reaching out to constituents, she has avoided traditional campaign methods including rallies during this election cycle in the interest of following public health guidelines.

Cobb’s platform has been focused largely on the need for healthcare reform, but also on leveling the playing field for North Country residents by investing in infrastructure. And, while she does support more gun control measures than her opponent she says she isn’t looking to take people’s guns away.

COVID-19

Cobb says relief is needed for local governments, schools, businesses and healthcare providers who have been devastated by COVID-19 related restrictions. She says Congress’s failure to pass a relief bill is unacceptable.

“They needed to act months ago,” she said.

Cobb says COVID-19 has shed a light on the lack of infrastructure in rural areas like the North Country, where things like poor internet access is impacting the education of students on a daily basis. She says the government needs to invest in healthcare and work to ensure internet access is available to everyone.

Cobb says she also supports an expansion of the federal unemployment insurance and another round of the paycheck protection program.

Cobb said schools, governments, businesses and families are all struggling and relief has been stalled far too long.

She says politics need to be put aside and Congress needs to move forward.

Healthcare

Cobb has devoted much of her campaign to healthcare. She says addressing the nation’s healthcare issues is why she ran.

Her solution to ensuring healthcare coverage for all Americans centers around creating a public option that people could buy into. In her previous bid for election, Cobb supported a Medicare for all option but says it’s now about giving people a choice. She says she’d like to see people have access to purchase insurance from private providers or buy into Medicare.

Cobb said she also wants to see Medicare given the power to negotiate prescription drug prices and says whatever happens with American healthcare, it’s crucial to ensure insurance companies cover pre-existing conditions.

Cobb says it’s also too important to consider mental health and substance abuse disorders when discussing healthcare.

Cobb has been critical of attempts by Republicans and her opponent to repeal the Affordable Care Act. She says doing so would take away healthcare for 64,000 people in the 21st Congressional District.

She said attempts by Republicans to have the Affordable Care Act deemed unconstitutional are unconscionable.

“They are using your money to take your healthcare away,” she said.

Biden

Tedra Cobb says Joe Biden is the best choice for president. She says Biden is the answer to end the long standing division in America..

“I think Joe Biden is a unifier. He’s compassionate. He’s competent and thoughtful. I do think that we need to heal as a country and start working together,” she said.

Cobb says Biden has a history of putting partisanship aside, and attacked her opponent for defending President Donald Trump. Cobb said Trump has been proven to be a poor leader for his handling of the pandemic. She said millions of people have been impacted by his decision to downplay the virus.

Cobb was recently endorsed by the former vice president.

Gun issues

Cobb says she doesn't want to take away people’s guns, despite the mantra that is often repeated about her. However, she says she does want to “end the carnage.”

“I think kids need to feel safe going to school and I think parents need to feel safe sending their kids to school,” she said. “I along with the majority of Americans think we need to pass universal background checks and red flag laws and close gun shows loopholes,” she said.

Cobb says the North Country needs to elect a representative that fights for the area and not outside corporate interests.

Cobb says it’s time to invest in the North Country’s infrastructure.

She says healthcare providers, schools and businesses are all more reliant on the web than ever before and she sees internet access as vital as other utilities.

“We need to make sure everybody has access. We need to make sure that it’s affordable. That everyone can afford it,” she said. “Then the North Country is able to compete.”

Cobb says the use of telemedicine presents many opportunities for providing help to people who need counseling services for substance abuse or other mental health issues, but without Internet access the North Country is left behind.

She said it’s also important to ensure people are taught how to use web-based services. She says COVID-19 has highlighted the urgency of the need for more access.