ICYMI: Democrats look to make debt ceiling a winning issue [The Hill]

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

The Hill: Democrats look to make debt ceiling a winning issue
By Julia Manchester
October 6, 2021

Key Points:

• Democrats are looking to flip the script by going on offense against Senate Republicans’ refusal to raise the debt ceiling. 

• Democratic campaign committees have highlighted a number of local op-eds warning of the dangers of not raising the debt ceiling in competitive states like Pennsylvania, Iowa, Georgia, Wisconsin and Florida.

• “The debt ceiling isn’t just a Beltway issue, real people across the country have stakes in this fight and they would be the ones to feel the devastating effects of Republicans’ political games. Americans will not soon forget the despicable hypocrisy of Republicans who time and time again choose to play political football with the livelihoods of working families,” said Democratic National Committee spokesperson Adonna Biel.

• Meanwhile, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) took the step of invoking Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has vowed that Republicans will not provide votes to raise the debt ceiling, suggesting he and his strategy could be used to paint GOP candidates negatively in 2022. 

• “Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are playing dangerous political games with Americans’ lives and putting our economy in jeopardy,” DSCC spokeswoman Jazmin Vargas said. “If they continue down this path GOP Senate candidates will own the horrific consequences of defaulting on America’s full faith and credit — and voters will hold them accountable in 2022.”

• Meanwhile, state Democratic parties have gone on the offensive against Republican lawmakers and candidates in other hotly contested states like North Carolina.

• “North Carolina Republicans like Ted Budd need to drop the political games and do their job to protect our economy and the well-being of North Carolina families and troops,” North Carolina Democratic Party spokesperson Kate Frauenfelder said in a statement, targeting Budd who who is running for Senate before calling out GOP candidates Pat McCrory and Mark Walker for their silence on the issue.

• Democrats argue that Republicans are playing “Russian Roulette” with the economic livelihoods of Americans by not raising the debt ceiling, pointing to economists’ warnings of catastrophic economic consequences.
  

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