Vulnerable Senate Democrats are being hammered for not just voting in 2009 to pass the Affordable Care Act, but also for blocking the Republican-controlled House’s attempts to modify the massive healthcare law.
A new ad released Tuesday by the conservative activist group American Commitment specifically targets Democrats running for re-election in tough races: Sens. Mark Udall, Colo., Mark Begich, Alaska, Jeanne Shaheen, N.H., Mary Landrieu, La., Kay Hagan, N.C., Mark Pryor, Ark., as well as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
“Whether you’re for or against [repealing the Affordable Care Act], one thing’s for certain: Obamacare is broken and Senate Democrats will never fix it,” the ad states.
The ad will be circulated via email to American Commitment’s nearly 550,000 members, the group’s president, Phil Kerpen, told the Washington Examiner.
Depending on the ad’s reception, the conservative group may consider releasing the commercial on a larger platform, he added.
“We’re kind of like doing a live test with this message. In particular, I’m sort of interested – will it bother conservatives that we’re saying fixes [to the Affordable Care Act] might be a good thing?” Kerpen asked.
Weighted polling averages compiled by RealClearPolitics show that the senators presented in American Commitment’s ad, which is titled “Democrats Will Never Fix Obamacare,” all stand a chance of being defeated in the Nov. 4 midterm elections:
• Mark Udall is trailing his Republican challenger 47 to 44 percent.
• Mark Begich is trailing 47 to 43 percent.
• Jeanne Shaheen is ahead by only 48 to 45 percent.
• Mary Landrieu trails her Republican opponent 48 to 43 percent.
• Kay Hagan leads her challenger in the polls 46 to 44 percent.
• Mark Pryor is behind in the polls 47 to 41 percent.
Fifty-one percent of U.S. voters say they oppose the Affordable Care Act, while only 38 percent say they’re in favor of it, according to a separate weighted polling average compiled by RealClearPolitics.
But although disapproval for the law appears to be high, recent surveys also appear to indicate that there is a growing demand to see changes applied to the law rather than having it scrapped entirely.
