WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Beth Van Duyne (R) says she is willing to work with Democrats in the next Congress, but warned she will fight proposals that could push hundreds of thousands of her constituents off private health insurance.
In an exclusive interview with Texas Politics, the North Texas Republican discussed how she plans to approach a Democratic-controlled Congress following Republican losses in the 2026 elections. Rep. Van Duyne said bipartisan cooperation will depend on whether Democrats bring forward policies she believes benefit the country.
"Are they going to come up wth solutions and policies that actually benefit the country?" Van Duyne asked.
Drawing on her experience serving in the House minority from 2021 to 2023, she criticized Democratic priorities during that period, accusing the party of excessive spending and regulation, restrictions on American energy production and weakening border security.
"If those are the policies that they're going to be promoting, I will continue to fight against those," she said.
However, Van Duyne said she would work across party lines on healthcare affordability, reducing insurance industry influence and strengthening border security.
"If Democrats want to work with us on ways of making healthcare actually affordable, to keep money out of the insurance companies' pockets, and benefit people who need it, then I will work with them," she said.
Her strongest objection came when discussing potential Democratic efforts to expand the Affordable Care Act or pursue broader government-sponsored healthcare programs. Van Duyne argued that proposals forcing people off private insurance would affect approximately 500,000 of her constituents.
"If they're going to force people off their private health insurance, you know, that would be about 500,000 of my constituents. I'm going to fight them," she said. "I don't think people want a takeover by the government of their healthcare. I just don't think that's what our constituents want."
Van Duyne also argues that Medicare for All and other government-run healthcare proposals could leave seniors waiting for treatment, distinguishing between having insurance coverage and actually receiving medical care.
"When you have Medicare for All or these government plans for all, the people who are the most victimized are seniors," she said. "Having coverage and having healthcare are two separate things."
She further argued that such policies could benefit insurance companies at the expense of seniors.
