Former Miss America Running for Congress: I Would Likely Repeal Obamacare

The former Miss America running for Congress in Illinois says she'd consider supporting the repeal of Obamacare.

"I likely would be willing to vote to repeal,'' Erika Harold, who won the crown in 2003 and is now an attorney, told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.

"I represent employers and healthcare physicians who are trying to figure out administratively and at a practical level how can they actually implement this. How are they subject to penalties?

Story continues below.



"If it's not addressed pretty quickly it's going to have a lot of unforeseen, unfortunate consequences pretty far into the future."

Harold — who'll face Rep. Rodney Davis in the 2014 primary for Illinois's 13th Congressional District — is also concerned about the powers the Internal Revenue Service has to enforce the government's mandatory healthcare program.

"The IRS is going to have a great deal of influence over the way in which it is implemented and probably a lot of Americans are concerned about that given the fact that there's been some overreaching with the IRS," she said.

"That's not where we would want that discretion to be executed."

Also worrisome to Americans, she said, are the recent scandals involving the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department's scrutiny of the press.

"Being able to protect privacy and being able to communicate freely without being monitored by the government is a right that we just take for granted," she said.

"On a broader perspective, the fact that we have all these Congressional hearings and people are coming up and taking the Fifth or saying they don't know what's going on in their agency, it shows one of the dangers of having an ever-expanding government.

"And that's why having a limited government that does just those essential functions is so important."

Harold, a Harvard Law graduate, first dabbled in politics as the Youth Director for the GOP primary campaign of Illinois gubernatorial candidate Patrick O'Malley.

She later served as a delegate to the 2004 Republican National Convention.

"I've always had a strong interest in politics and public service and I've always been looking for an opportunity where I thought I could serve a district really well and also help expand the party," Harold told Steve Malzberg.

"The 13th district is a district where I could be a great representative because it's a swing district, so not only does the Republican have to be somebody who can espouse strong conservative principles, but they have to also be able to reach out to voters who may not traditionally vote for a Republican candidate."

See the Steve Malzberg Show on Newsmax TV each weekday live by Clicking Here Now

You can listen to the Steve Malzberg Show each weekday live from 3-6 PM ET on SiriusXM 166.