Republicans have a new ad out attacking five vulnerable House Democrats over Obamacare, but only one of them actually voted for the health care law.
The 30-second paid web ad — released by the National Republican Congressional Committee on the law’s fifth anniversary Monday — predicts political disaster for Reps. Gwen Graham and Patrick Murphy of Florida, Brad Ashford of Nebraska, Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona and Collin Peterson of Minnesota.
But Kirkpatrick is the only one in the group to have voted for the Affordable Care Act in 2010. She lost her seat in the next election, partly over that vote, but reclaimed it in 2012.
Peterson was the only other member in office at the time the healthcare law was passed, and he voted against it.
The other three members have been elected since then; both Graham and Ashford defeated Republican incumbents in November and Murphy (who announced Monday he’s vying for Sen. Marco Rubio’s seat) is on his second term.
That’s not stopping Republicans from leveraging the law — and its unpopularity — for political advantage in 2016. The law is largely credited for helping Republicans seize back control of the House 2010 and widen their majority since then.
“For them, it’s a celebration, Obamacare’s turning five,” the ad says, depicting a photo of a birthday cake.
“But after half a decade pushing higher premiums, more regulations and big cuts to Medicare, the party’s over for House Democrats, a political disaster that keeps getting worse,” it continues. “While Pelosi celebrates, her lieutenants have paid the ultimate price. Who will be next?”
