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Groups spend big to back House supporters of healthcare reform
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11/18/09 08:39 AM ET
Key liberal groups are teaming up to kick off a round of ads bolstering vulnerable Democrats who supported health reform legislation.
Americans United for Change (AUFC) and the labor union AFSCME will announce the first wave in a multimillion-dollar campaign to run ads supporting 13 potentially vulnerable incumbents who backed the House's health bill in a vote earlier this month.
AUFC and AFSCME will run ads on behalf of Reps. Baron Hill (D-Ind.), Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), while AUFC will begin running ads on its own supporting Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Tom Perriello (D-Va.), Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) and Marion Berry (D-Ark.).
The ad blitz is intended to mount a counteroffensive to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's and other insurance groups' targeting of these same lawmakers as the health bill progresses through Congress.
"Wherever the insurance industry front groups go to peddle misinformation about the Affordable Health Care for America Act and attack members of Congress who did right by their constituents, they can expect this coalition to push right back," AUFC acting executive director Tom McMahon said. "We’re also sending a message to all members of Congress that we will have their backs if they in the end stand up to the big health insurance companies and stand alongside their constituents, the AARP and the American Medical Association.”
Another labor union, SEIU, is set to spend money in the race, an AUFC official said, and the group expects the AARP to announce a sizable advertising effort later this week.
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