Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, floated this week as Republican elites’ “savior” in a weak field, will reportedly decide on a presidential run by the end of the month. Mitt Romney probably loses the most if Daniels jumps in, but there’s one consolation. While Newt Gingrich caught heat this week for backing individual mandates in the past, Daniels also appears to have explicitly endorsed a national mandate a la the Affordable Care Act in recent years. Via Philip Klein, here’s the relevant portion of a 2003 article in the South Bend Tribune:
The candidate said he favors a universal health care system that would move away from employee-based health policies and make it mandatory for all Americans to have health insurance.
Daniels envisioned one scenario in which residents could certify their coverage when paying income taxes and receive a tax exemption that would cover the cost.
“We really have to have universal coverage,” Daniels said.
