Red state Democrats know Obamacare will be their biggest issue concerning their re-election bids. And conservatives have already begun hitting them over it. Right now, Americans for Prosperity fired off the first salvo with a $1.7 million dollar ad campaign against four pro-Obamacare Democrats.
Obamacare is becoming Democrats’ achilles tendon – and conservatives are ready to cut it. The abject failure of President Obama’s signature achievement is the gift that keeps on giving for Republicans. While Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli was defeated in Virginia’s gubernatorial race, but the 7-9 point lead Democrat Terry McAuliffe had over him was completely eviscerated by the news of Obamacare’s disastrous effects on American families. In fact, Cuccineli made up this deficit in the polls without a single ad running in Northern Virginia towards the end of the campaign. He was forced to pull out of the D.C. media market due to lack of funds. Not a single ad – and a eight point bump! That’s incredible. Luckily, AFP has the funds to hang Obamacare around these liberals’ necks.
In a press release on November 7:
Americans for Prosperity, the nation’s largest advocate for health care freedom, announced a third wave of TV, radio, and web ads that highlight lawmakers’ history of support or opposition to ObamaCare. The latest wave of TV ads starts today in Michigan, Nevada, Arizona, and West Virginia, and will run for the next three weeks.
AFP President Tim Phillips said, “Amid a disastrous and inept rollout, it’s important to remember that some politicians did what they could to stop ObamaCare, while others did whatever it took to shove the law down our throats.
“Heading into 2014, we want to be sure Americans understand the true negative impact of the law. A failing website is just the tip of the iceberg; less choice, higher premiums, and lost coverage will be the legacy of ObamaCare.”
The latest round of TV ads will thank Representatives Heck (NV-3) and Benishek (MI-1) for steadfastly opposing ObamaCare, and criticize Representatives Kirkpatrick (AZ-1) and Rahall (WV-3) for supporting the law. The cable and network TV spots will be supported by radio and web ads, as well as robust grassroots action in the districts that includes door-to-door canvassing and phone banking.
The budget for the latest round of ads is $1.7 million, bringing the total for AFP’s efforts on ObamaCare accountability over $7.6 million.
Over the summer, AFP carried out a separate multi-million dollar effort with a series of four TV ads that highlighted the negative impact of ObamaCare on individuals.
This latest round of ads also highlights the group’s Exempt Me, Too! message, reminding activists to tell lawmakers we can do better than ObamaCare. Hundreds of thousands of AFP activists have already signed a petition at justexempt.me, asking the President for the same special treatment that Big Business and the well-connected have already begun enjoying under the law.
The four new TV spots can be viewed here:
Keep fighting for us, Dan Benishek
Tell Ann Kirkpatrick to #ExemptMeToo
Overall, the number of competitive House races is very slim. Mitt Romney won 227 congressional districts in 2012. And it’s almost a forgone conclusion that the Republicans will keep the House. Nevertheless, the 2014 election cycle is beginning; and there’s no harm in going on the attack against a law that was never popular. What do we have to lose?
Full disclosure: I’m AFP-VA’s social media manager.
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