DCCC Targets 10 Republicans on Health Care in New Ads
Digital ads will run in Google searches and on YouTube
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching new digital ads Monday as part of its media campaign targeting House Republicans who voted for their health care overhaul.
The committee is zeroing in on 10 lawmakers who voted for the bill last week with ads that show up in Google searches of the members and health care terms, and with 15-second pre-roll ads that play before YouTube videos. The five-figure ad campaign is one of several steps the DCCC is taking to highlight Republican lawmakers’ votes on the bill.
“The passage of this repeal and ripoff bill was a defining moment for every single House Republican,” DCCC spokesman Tyler Law said in a statement. “Our early investments reflect the huge opportunity for Democrats to maximize gains on an expanding midterm battlefield.”
A screenshot of the Google search ad mimics a news article with the words “BREAKING: [House lawmaker name] voted to take away health care.” The YouTube ads highlight news coverage of the bill’s effect on health care costs, particularly increases in costs for seniors and people with pre-existing conditions.
The 10 Republicans targeted are Arizona Rep. Martha McSally, California Reps. Jeff Denham and David Valadao, Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo, Kansas Rep. Kevin Yoder, Maine Rep. Bruce Poliquin, Minnesota Rep. Jason Lewis, New Jersey Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, and New York Reps. Claudia Tenney and John J. Faso.
Several of those Republicans were also targeted by a coalition of liberal groups known as Save My Care, which launched digital ads Monday as well.
The DCCC’s ads are part of a broader campaign focused on last week’s health care vote. The committee launched ads against 30 Republicans on social media sites right after the vote, including some who voted against the bill. The committee has also launched radio ads in California and additional digital ads.
Democrats see the GOP health care vote as a winning 2018 campaign issue in their question to gain the 24 seats necessary to win a House majority. But Republicans are also working to defend their members who voted for the bill.
On Monday, the American Action Network, an advocacy group tied to House leadership, launched a half-million-dollar television ad campaign thanking Speaker Paul D. Ryan for leading on the health care issue.
