Texas Cancer Survivor's Mounting Medical Debt Reshapes Her Political Views Ahead of Midterms

Cindy Banda, a 46-year-old single mother of six in McAllen, Texas, has spent the past year undergoing treatment for breast cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Despite having insurance through her job selling internet service, her medical bills have topped $25,000, part of a mounting financial burden that also includes a $7,500 deductible she must pay again starting in January.

Banda took a year of sick leave during treatment and recently returned to work going door-to-door selling Wi-Fi service in the Rio Grande Valley. She says keeping her home, cars, and children stable has become her guiding focus amid the financial strain, which also includes roughly $7,000 a month in household expenses.

To cover costs, Banda has depended on support from her father, child support payments, and help from an ex-partner for a nanny. Former high school classmates raised money for her through a food fundraiser, and two online campaigns brought in nearly $30,000. She also rented out a house left by her late sister and put her own home into forbearance.

Banda voted for Donald Trump in all three of his campaigns, largely due to her opposition to abortion. However, she says the financial and emotional toll of her illness has led her to reconsider her political views and consider voting for Democrats for the first time.

Her experience reflects a broader trend ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, as polling shows a growing share of voters see healthcare costs as a major problem for their families. Surveys also show voters increasingly trust Democrats over Republicans to handle healthcare policy, a shift that has coincided with declining support for Trump and his party.