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DCCC’s First National TV Buy Spotlights Paul Ryan, not Donald Trump

DCCC attacks Ryan and “establishment Republicans” for health care repeal efforts

The DCCC launched a six-figure cable TV and radio buy going after Ryan and “establishment Republicans” on health care. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
The DCCC launched a six-figure cable TV and radio buy going after Ryan and “establishment Republicans” on health care. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched its first national TV buy on cable Thursday morning. 

The TV ad, which will run on MSNBC and CNN for one week, is part of a six-figure buy that also includes radio ads running in 11 districts for three weeks. 

Speaker Paul D. Ryan features prominently in the ad, which is mostly about GOP efforts to repeal the 2010 health care law.

President Donald Trump is nowhere to be seen in the spot. That’s a departure from Democrats’ strategy in 2016, when they often tried to tie congressional Republicans to him

“They’ll never stop,” the ads begins. “Paul Ryan and Washington’s establishment Republicans, catering to drug companies and special interests, coming after your health care.” 

“The rest of us have to change Washington,” the narrator concludes, over footage of Ryan and other GOP congressional leadership.

The radio ads, which are also about health care, are running in the districts held by Reps. French Hill (Arkansas’ 2nd), Martha McSally (Arizona’s 2nd), Jeff Denham (California’s 10th), David Valadao (California’s 21st), Brian Mast (Florida’s 18th), Mike Bost (Illinois’ 12), Kevin Yoder (Kansas’ 3rd), Andy Barr (Kentucky’s 6th), Bruce Poliquin (Maine’s 2nd), Don Bacon (Nebraska’s 2nd) and Will Hurd (Texas’ 23rd).

The ads will also run in Spanish in Hurd’s and Valadao’s districts. 

“House Republicans will stop at nothing to rip away affordable healthcare coverage from their constituents, and we are all at risk as long as they control the House,” DCCC Chairman Ben Luján said in a statement. 

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