About a half-dozen or so Republican representatives who supported the failed GOP bill that would have repealed Obamacare are being targeted by a seven-figure ad buy from a coalition supportive of the Affordable Care Act.
The ad campaign calls out by name Republicans such as Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Mike Coffman (R-CO), who represent purple districts and were supportive of the legislation, the American Health Care Act, that was pulled from the floor last month due to lack of votes.
“Congressman Issa promised to protect our health care,” the ad, produced by Save My Care, says. “But when right-wing politicians tried to pass a disastrous health care repeal bill that raises costs and cuts coverage, Issa wouldn’t oppose them.”
The seven representatives targeted are Reps. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) Darrell Issa (R-CA) Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) Brian Mast (R-FL) Martha McSally (R-AZ) David Valadao (R-CA).
The ad campaign comes as some Republicans, including top deputies to President Trump, have sought to revive the repeal effort with tweaks to the failed bill. The day before Congress was set to leave Washington for a two-week Easter recess, the House Rules Committee rushed through a hearing on a vague amendment to the bill that would have funded state-run reinsurance programs. Another change being considered to shore up support would be to allow states to opt out of it the ACA’s Essential Health Benefits requirement, though it appears the idea lost more supporters than it gained.
The original legislation would have gutted Medicaid spending, reworked Obamacare’s tax credits, scaled back the law’s Essential Health Benefits, and eliminated most of its taxes, including those on high-earners.
