With a Republican push to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s federal health-care law gaining steam again on Capitol Hill, on Wednesday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) launched an ad campaign against 30 Republicans in the U.S. House including two from the Sunshine State.
The DCCC mocked U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur’s, R-NJ, effort to get supporters of President Donald Trump’s and U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan’s, R-Wisc., effort to repeal and replace Obama’s law and the Freedom Caucus members on the same page as the “Congressional Carveout” and targeted 30 Republicans on the issue.
Taking to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, the DCCC slams vulnerable Republican incumbents in the new ads. Among the Republicans targeted are Florida Republican U.S. Reps. Carlos Curbelo and Brian Mast.
“Removing protections for people with pre-existing conditions will go down in infamy as one of the most heartless acts of this Republican Congress. As proof of the repeal bill’s devastating impact, Republican ,embers of Congress are exempting themselves from the punishment they are willing to inflict on their constituents,” said Tyler Law, a spokesman for the DCCC. “This digital ad campaign will educate voters in targeted districts about this morally bankrupt ‘Congressional Carveout.’”
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) fired back on Wednesday afternoon. “Unlike the Democrats, both Brian Mast and Carlos Curbelo have proven to be effective leaders more interested in representing their constituents than in standing by and watching a failed law crumble under its own weight,” said Maddie Anderson, a spokeswoman for the NRCC. “The DCCC’s attempt to keep 100 percent of Obamacare as it stands is dangerous for all Americans.”
On paper, Curbelo and Mast should expect tight races in 2018. In a rematch of their 2014 matchup, Curbelo routed former U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., in November taking 53 percent while the Democrat pulled 41 percent. But Curbelo represents a district which Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton carried by more than 15 percent, ensuring Democrats continue to think they can beat the congressman.
Mast looks a little safer. He won an open congressional seat by more than 10 percent while Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump carried the district by 9 percent.
Earlier this year, the NRCC announced it was targeting 36 Democrats in Congress while the DCCC announced it was focusing on 20 congressional Republicans including Curbelo.
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