A statement by Kentucky GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell that people will “get over” proposed Medicaid cuts drew strong reaction on social media Tuesday night, particularly among Democrats.

McConnell was speaking at a private lunch meeting among Republican Senators Tuesday when he said: “I know a lot of us are hearing from people back home about Medicaid. But they’ll get over it,” Punchbowl News reported.

McConnell’s staff issued a statement later, saying he “was speaking about the people who are abusing Medicaid — the able-bodied Americans who should be working — and the need to withstand Democrats’ scare tactics when it comes to Medicaid.

“Sen. McConnell was urging his fellow members to highlight that message to our constituents and remind them that we should all be against waste, fraud, and abuse while working to protect our rural hospitals and have safety nets in place for people that need it.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear reacted to McConnell’s comment on his personal page on the social media platform X.

“These Medicaid cuts will kick 16 million Americans off their health care, close rural hospitals — forcing people to drive hours just to see their doctor — and gut funding for long term care for our seniors,” Beshear posted. “No Sen McConnell, our people will not ‘get over it.’”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted: “Mitch McConnell and the rest of the @SenateGOP have the best health care in the world. But if you get sick, they want you to ‘get over it.’”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, responded in a post on X, urging people to call their senators.

“Mitch McConnell told Senate Republicans behind closed doors to ignore people’s concern about the biggest cuts to Medicaid in history,” Warren wrote. “McConnell said ‘they’ll get over it.’ Ripping away health care. Closing hospitals. Hell no! Call your Senator. This fight is far from over.”

California Rep. Ted Lieu said in a tweet the comment was “absolutely heartless.”

“Public sentiment matters,” Lieu wrote. “Keep being loud and fighting back. We’re in this together.”

Lexington Democrat Cherlynn Stevenson, who is running for the 6th Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Andy Barr, called McConnell’s comment “out of touch.”

“Unfortunately, it seems like Mitch McConnell is back to his old ways of putting D.C. politics before people back home in Kentucky,” she said in a statement. “People’s lives aren’t bargaining chips. These Medicaid cuts will mean that rural hospitals close their emergency rooms, and parents will be stuck having to choose between bringing their child to the doctor or putting food on the table.

“If Republicans barrel ahead with these downright cruel cuts, Mitch shouldn’t expect anyone to ‘get over’ it.”

Stevenson said the proposed Medicaid and Affordable Care Act cuts would result in a loss of coverage for more than 26,000 people in the 6th District, and she said six hospitals in the district — in Berea, Flemingsburg, Irvine, Mount Sterling, Paris and Winchester — could be at risk of closing.

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