U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., says Republicans made significant legislative gains in 2025 but failed to fully grasp the concerns of everyday Americans, a shortcoming he believes is creating political problems, according to Fox News Digital.
“We, as Republicans, and I have said this so many times, we’re lousy,” Justice told Fox News Digital. “We’re great at doing the good things, but we’re lousy at really knowing what Toby and Edith are thinking. And that causes a lot of problems.”
Justice uses the names “Toby” and “Edith” to describe the average voter, a group he said he came to know well during his eight years as West Virginia’s governor before winning a U.S. Senate seat in the 2024 election, Fox News Digital reported.
His comments came as United States Congress prepared to leave Washington for the holidays without resolving one remaining issue: whether to extend or replace expiring Obamacare premium subsidies.
According to Fox News Digital, those tax credits are set to expire Wednesday, a change that could cause tens of millions of Americans to see their health care costs double, triple, or increase by more than 300%.
Justice told Fox News Digital that, as governor, officials understood the credits would eventually expire because Democrats under former President Joe Biden enhanced the subsidies while also setting an end date. However, he said that explanation means little to average voters.
“They’re thinking, ‘Well, you know, I know [former President Barack] Obama started all this stuff, and I know it didn’t work, and everything, but the Republicans are pretty much in charge right now,’” Justice said. “‘So, you know, if they’re in charge, why don’t they fix it?’”
Justice said the loss of the subsidies would effectively remove extra money families rely on, placing additional financial strain on households across the country, Fox News Digital reported.
“That’s how they think, you know,” Justice said. “And so what I would say to you is, if Republicans aren’t concerned about that, they’re making a bad move on the chessboard.”
According to Fox News Digital, potential solutions remain uncertain. A Senate Republican proposal to convert the subsidies into health savings accounts failed, as did Senate Democrats’ push for a three-year extension.
In the House, options include a GOP package that does not address the subsidies and a bipartisan proposal to extend them for three years, which is expected to receive a vote in early January.
