JACKSON — The leaders of Mississippi’s two major political parties said Monday that they want to compete in a civil manner, even as they draw distinctions between what Democrats and Republicans believe.

State Republican chairman Joe Nosef and state Democratic chairman Rickey Cole spoke together at a forum sponsored by the Capitol press corps and Mississippi State University’s Stennis Institute of Governments. They said they won’t hesitate to point out philosophical differences about the role government should play in people’s lives.

Nosef said Gov. Phil Bryant and other top Republicans oppose expanding Medicaid under President Barack Obama’s federal health overhaul.

“If we hear every day how entitlements are bankrupting the country, it doesn’t seem like to me that the next thing we need is another big entitlement,” Nosef said. “It just doesn’t seem like that’s the smart thing to do.”

Cole said expanding Medicaid would be a good way to help the working poor who skip regular medical exams because they can’t afford insurance.

“For the first times in their lives, they will be able to go to the doctor when they need to, not just to the emergency room when they have to. That’s why it’s important for us to participate in this program,” Cole said. “I speak somewhat from family experience. The first health insurance either of my parents ever had was Medicare at age 65.”

Medicaid is a health insurance program for the needy, paid by federal and state governments. Because Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the nation, it has a high percentage of its residents already on Medicaid and receives one of the most generous federal contribution rates.

The U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld the federal Affordable Care Act, which says that starting in 2014, states could expand Medicaid coverage to people whose income is up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level — now about $30,650 for a family of four. The federal government will pay most of the tab in the early years of the expansion. Mississippi currently allows Medicaid enrollment for people whose income is up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, about $23,050 for a family of four.

Bryant and other Republican leaders frequently cite the consulting firm Milliman, which says expanding Medicaid would add about 400,000 people to the program. The Kaiser Family Foundation gives a lower estimate of how many people could enroll in Medicaid in Mississippi if the state expands coverage under the federal health law — about 330,000.

Mississippi had 641,454 people enrolled in Medicaid in May, the most recent figure available. That’s about 22 percent of its 3 million residents.

The U.S. Census Bureau said Mississippi had about 618,000 uninsured residents in 2010, or 21 percent of the population.

Republicans have made significant gains in Mississippi in recent years. A decade ago, Democrats held seven of the eight statewide elected offices and a majority in the state Legislature. Now, those numbers are reversed, with Republicans holding seven of eight statewide offices and majorities in the state House and Senate. Nosef said 50 state and local elected officials have switched from Democrat to Republican in the past four years.

“But I’m going to tell you, the one thing the Republican Party’s not going to do while I’m there, and that is sit around and pat ourselves on the back about how well things have gone,” said Nosef, who has been GOP chairman since January. “I think we all realize for a variety of reasons that we’ve got to continue to fight to maintain what we have attained in this state so far.”

Cole was state Democratic chairman from 2001 through 2004 and was re-elected to the post on June 30. He said he is working to ensure that Democrats are organized in all 1,876 precincts in the state so they can have conversations with potential voters.

“I congratulate the Mississippi Republican Party on their successes. They have won some elections, and we have given some of them away,” Cole said.

Turning to look at Nosef, Cole added: “But, Mr. Chairman, God bless you and thank you for your friendship, but the free ride is just about over.”