As the Senate nears its vote on Republicans’ tax overhaul, Democrats are amping up pressure as much as possible, targeting senators known for bucking their party on controversial votes.
Democratic outside group American Bridge is releasing digital ad buys targeting six Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Dean Heller of Nevada, Bob Corker of Tennessee, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Arizona Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain.
The ads are last-minute push to pressure Republicans to vote against the tax plan, but as the clock wound down Friday, the six senators who had previously voiced strong concerns with their party’s tax plan, began to fall in line.
“Higher taxes, higher healthcare costs…to make the rich richer,” the ad running in Nevada says. “Call Sen. Dean Heller, tell him the middle class can’t afford higher taxes.”
The ads will run on Facebook in the senators states, urging constituents to call their senators to tell them to vote against the bill. The ads focus on the “economic body-blow” middle class families would face if the plan becomes law.
“This is going to go down in history as a defining vote for the Republican Party,” said Shripal Shah, Vice President of American Bridge. “This isn’t tax reform, it’s a tax scam that sells out the the middle-class with higher taxes, increased healthcare costs, exploding deficits, and incentives for companies to send jobs overseas.”
The non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation concluded that the GOP plan would add $1 trillion to the deficit. Still, the plan appears poised to pass Friday. Republican leaders have steadily secured the necessary votes, working on likely defectors one by one — offering compromises on the State and Local tax deductions, and concessions on the must-pass spending bill that Congress will tackle before leaving for the year.
“The country can’t afford this disaster, and every Republican who supported it will be held accountable,” Shah said.
If the bill does pass, American Bridge will tweak the ads, hitting the senators for supporting ultimately supporting the tax plan. Democrats have tried to recreate the momentum against Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but it’s proven difficult. Though the tax overhaul has low popularity among registered voters — 36 percent support it — Republicans have pushed ahead with the plan.
