Democrats use ab photo to ding Rep. Schock

Democrats on Monday put their own spin on GOP Rep. Aaron Schock's (Ill.) ab photo, calling it a distraction from the debate over Medicare.

Schock showed off his abs on the cover of the latest Men's Health magazine, where he was billed as the "fittest member of Congress."

But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) circulated its own version of the
cover to reporters in an email titled "Schock: Who Needs Medicare When You’ve Got Abs Like These?"

"As Americans continue to sour on the Republicans’ extreme, partisan plan to end Medicare, Representative Aaron Schock (IL-18) employed an unusual tactic to distract from his vote. Schock took to the cover of Men’s Health where he exposed everything, but his drastic plans to end Medicare," reads the email. 

Democrats are going to great lengths to pressure Republicans on the Medicare reform proposal contained in Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget.

Republicans have billed Ryan's plan to transform the program into a "premium support" model as a way to drive down costs and keep the program solvent. But Democrats have argued the overhaul would essentially privatize the popular entitlement program, removing a key social safety net for seniors.

Some of Schock's Republican colleagues on Monday took a lighthearted approach to the photos, goading the Illinois lawmaker to share a bacon cheeseburger with them.

The National Republican Congressional Committee and Schock's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Pictured is the DCCC's take on the cover.