NYTimes: Democrats On the Offensive On Key Issue of Health Care

Health Care Was the “Key to Taking Back the House of Representatives” in 2018, Once Again “Becoming A Central Advertising Issue” as “Democrats Flip Open the Health Care Playbook”

A new New York Times analysis looks at how Democrats are on offense and holding Republican incumbents and candidates accountable for their records opposing protections for pre-existing conditions and opposing efforts to lower drug prices. As Republicans plow ahead with their lawsuit to gut protections for pre-existing conditions – even in the middle of a pandemic – health care is still top of mind for voters and remains a massive “political liability” for Republicans that “could help determine control of the Senate.”

New York Times: Democrats Flip Open the Health Care Playbook

Coronavirus ads are one thing, but Democrats are also bringing back the messaging that worked so well for them in 2018.

By Nick Corasaniti

September 8, 2020

Key Points:

• Health care defined the 2018 midterms, with Democrats across the spectrum crediting a consistent message about defending Obamacare, protecting people with pre-existing conditions and reining in prescription drug prices as the key to taking back the House of Representatives.

• So while it is no surprise that the coronavirus is by far the most popular topic in political advertising this year — dominating the presidential, Senate and House races with nearly 40 percent of all political ads — it is also unsurprising to see health care becoming a central advertising issue, particularly in congressional races.

• Over the past 30 days, health care has been the second most popular issue in Senate races, with just under $13 million spent on health care-related ads.

• Democrats have largely been on the offensive. In Senate races over the past 30 days, Democratic candidates and outside groups have spent $10.3 million on television ads on health care, while Republican candidates and groups have spent $2.4 million.

• One of the central lines of attack for Democrats concerns protections for pre-existing conditions. Multiple Democratic ads portray congressional votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, led by Republicans, as efforts to strip those protections, and roughly a third of the health care ad spending over the past week focused on pre-existing conditions.

• Vulnerable Republican senators have been the main targets, with new ads attacking Senator Martha McSally in Arizona, Senator Steve Daines in Montana and Senator Thom Tillis in North Carolina over their votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act. (Republicans have generally said that they’ll protect pre-existing conditions, but it’s not clear how.)

• Another common attack line from Democrats has been highlighting campaign contributions from pharmaceutical and health insurance companies. In Montana, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee attacked Mr. Daines for taking more than $700,000 in campaign contributions “from the drug and insurance industries.” In Arizona, Senate Majority PAC, a major Democratic super PAC, attacked Ms. McSally for taking $600,000 from “insurance companies.”

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