Early voting in the primary runoff elections starts Monday, and the campaigns are uglier than ever. This week on Capital Tonight, Sen. Jeff Wentworth joined us to discuss his re-election bid for State Senate 25. We also spoke to the director of Public Policy Polling, Tom Jensen, about the group's recent poll regarding the Republican U.S. Senate runoff and the presidential race.

We also continued our coverage of how the Affordable Care Act will be implemented in Texas, after Gov. Perry decided Texas will not participate in key aspects of the law. Sebastian Robertson looked at how Perry's decision will affect Latinos, and spoke to a family who was counting on the expansion of Medicaid to help their daughter with cancer.

Medicaid Repercussions

For nine months, the Del Castillo family has been battling cancer. Jennifer Del Castillo, 10, is undergoing chemotherapy, trying to shrink a tumor located behind her heart. It's a fight for life that is not cheap. When she was diagnosed, both her parents were working. But, with no insurance, they applied for Medicaid and were denied. Elizabeth Del Castillo quit her job and her husband reduced his hours so they could qualify.

"We're never going to be able to pay for a treatment as big as cancer," Elizabeth Del Castillo said in Spanish. "Its so difficult, not just being here in the hospital-- every time we leave the hospital we take a list of medicine. They don't cost just one hundred or two hundred dollars, they cost thousands."

Governor Rick Perry calls Medicaid a "failed program," which is why he says he doesn't want to pour more money into it.

"To expand this program is not unlike adding a thousand people to the Titanic," Gov. Perry said on Fox News Channel July 9. "You're going to further this country into debt."

Perry's solution is to receive the federal money dedicated for Medicaid and let the state spend it as it sees fit.

Latino advocates say this decision will effect minorities disproportionately. With one in four Texas residents uninsured, many Latinos rely on Medicaid.

"Missing this opportunity is going to keep disparities very high -- disparity to access, especially among Latinos," Michael Candelas of the Latino Healthcare Forum said. "The governor's decision not to expand Medicaid as one of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act was very devastating. It is a huge opportunity that we are passing up."

While the structure of the healthcare system may be up in the air, Jennifer Del Castillos' first concern is getting better.

"My family always comes to visit me. And I am thankfully to God, because he sends me many people, he has never left me without food," Jennifer Del Castillo said in Spanish.

The Del Castillo family made it clear that they know they will never be without treatment for their daughter. They simply expressed to YNN the benefits they have received from using Medicaid.

Watch the video below to also hear from the Quorum Report's Harvey Kronberg.

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By the Numbers

The U.S. Senate GOP runoff race between Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and former state solicitor general Tom Cruz is neck-and-neck, specifically reflected in one recent poll conducted by a North Carolina-based, Democratic-leaning polling firm that's quickly gained a national reputation for accuracy.

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Texas Senate 25 Runoff

Sen. Jeff Wentworth first faced a runoff election in 1992. Now, after serving for two decades, he's in another tough runoff. This time, his opponent is Dr. Donna Campbell. Sen. Wentworth sat down with our Paul Brown to discuss why he wants to keep serving the people he calls his "bosses."

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We extended several invitations to Mr. Wentworth's opponent, Donna Campbell.
Her campaign told us last week she was busy on the campaign trail and wouldn't be doing any more interviews.

Capital Commentary

Ray Sullivan joined Harold Cook for this week's "Capital Commentators," where they discusses the Dewhurst/Cruz race, Pres. Obama's visit and the headlines they foresee in the week ahead.

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