The conservative news site NewsMax.com has just posted an article on Republican Senate candidate Patrick Hughes. Why is this important? For one, NewsMax is a national site devoted to the hard right, the very voters (and potential donors) Hughes is courting in his fight against Rep. Mark Kirk. So it's a nice spot for Hughes.




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Ill. Senate Candidate Hughes: Tort Reform Essential

By: Dan Weil Thursday, 21 Jan 2010 03:55 PM

Patrick Hughes, a Republican candidate for Senate in Illinois, says tort reform and other measures ignored by the Democrats are necessary to improve healthcare.

Hughes, one of several Republican candidates for the seat once held by President Obama, is a lawyer, real estate developer and home builder who never ran for office before.

As for healthcare, “The reason why our system is expensive is because we aren’t doing things that can incentivize private practitioners to get costs down,” he told Newsmax.TV’s Ashley Martella.

“Allow us to buy insurance across states lines, and the competition will drop prices. Eliminate or lessen the government mandate on the type of insurance people are forced to buy.”

In terms of tort reform, doctors are practicing defensive medicine, Hughes says. “They’re driving the cost of medical practice (higher), because they’re ordering tests that people don’t need.” And that in turn is because the doctors fear getting sued, he says.

“I’m a huge proponent of tort reform. It’s the only way we’re going to get that done. Obviously the Democrats don’t like tort reform because the trial lawyers are such a huge special interest and give them so much money.”

Hughes says he’s running against the Republican primary favorite, Rep. Mark Kirk, because Kirk “doesn’t represent mainstream Republican conservative values.”

Hughes calls himself a Ronald Reagan Republican, citing a belief in fiscal responsibility, traditional social values and a strong defense policy.

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He takes Kirk to task for voting in favor of cap and trade, which Hughes says “would devastate my state economically,” and for supporting partial birth abortion.

More . . .

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-- Edited by Sanders on Saturday 23rd of January 2010 05:59:48 PM