DCCC mounts healthcare attacks in new TV ads

The campaign arm for House Democrats is playing offense on healthcare in a new round of campaign ads.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a handful of new television ads Wednesday, including three that attack Republican incumbents over healthcare issues.

The DCCC spots focus on Medicare and women's health — two recurring themes in every Democratic campaign this year, including the presidential race. The ads are also a clear sign that Democrats believe they're back on offense over healthcare, following a bruising 2010 cycle dominated by conservative opposition to President Obama's healthcare law.

While Republican candidates are still running plenty of attack ads accusing Democrats of "robbing" Medicare, vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan's controversial Medicare plan has given Democrats their own line of Medicare attack.

The DCCC focuses on Medicare in a new IE ad against Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.). The Democratic spot shows Southerland's constituents noting that he voted — twice — for Ryan's budget proposals, including the proposed Medicare overhaul.

"Slashing Medicare — who does that?" one constituent says.

Two more spots focus on women's health. The committee attacked Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Colo.) for voting to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

"Planned Parenthood — they have long provided a wide range of services to women. Mammograms, cancer screenings and birth control," the ad says. "Congressman Scott Tipton voted to cut off funding for all of it. And it means women’s health centers in Colorado would have to close."

A third spot the DCCC released Wednesday, targeting Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), is somewhat broader but hits many of the same themes.

"Instead of working to help the middle class, Coffman tried to outlaw a woman’s right to choose, even in cases of rape and incest. And Coffman tried to deny women access to common forms of birth control," the ad says.

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