The Republican plan to use Obamacare to target vulnerable Democrats in 2014 has kicked into gear.
The Republican National Committee is releasing radio ads attacking at least eight Democratic senators and four House members for falsely promising, as President Obama did, that people who liked their insurance would be able to keep it, NBC News reports.
Here’s the script of the ad that goes after Sen. May Landrieu of Louisiana, one of the GOP’s top 2014 targets:
So, what’s your New Year’s resolution? Here’s one you can keep: Resolve to keep Sen. Mary Landrieu honest in 2014. President Obama and Senator Landrieu said if you like your insurance plan you can keep it under Obamacare. They lied to you, big time. Politifact called that the Lie of the Year. Millions will lose their insurance and their doctors. 2014 is your chance to hold Senator Landrieu accountable. This is one New Year’s resolution you’re sticking to.
“These Democrats repeated the lie that people could keep their healthcare plans under ObamaCare,” RNC chair Reince Priebus said in a statement. “Cancelled plans and increased premiums prove they cannot be trusted to keep their promises.”
Focusing narrowly on the false promise that everyone could keep their insurance, the ad acts as a political weapon that may be effective for Republicans in some races. Millions of Americans with insurance policies that didn’t meet Obamacare’s standards saw them cancelled, though many were automatically enrolled in better plans. A small number wound up paying more than previously. But as a broader matter, making Obamacare the focus of the campaign could be risky. Despite the law’s troubled roll-out, 10 million Americans by some estimates have now gained access to affordable health care thanks to the ACA, and that number will have grown by November. In addition to Landrieu, the other Democrats targeted by the ad are Sens. Mark Begich of Alaska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mark Udall Colorado, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, and Mark Warner of Virginia, as well as Reps. Bruce Braley of Iowa, Gary Peters of Michigan, Tim Bishop of New York, and Nick Rahall of West Virginia.
Zachary Roth Recommended
