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Early fireworks
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06/30/09 11:31 AM ET
In theory, the July 4 recess in an odd year should be a time for members of Congress to touch base with their constituents and not think about campaign ads.
But campaign ads are on the minds of many lawmakers this year, even though the 2010 elections are 16 months away.
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who is expected to be in a tough reelection race next fall, has already started running television ads.
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) praises Dodd in a recent campaign spot, saying, “Quality healthcare as a fundamental right for all Americans has been the cause of my life, and Chris Dodd has been my closest ally in this fight.”
Some Republicans, however, contend that the healthcare reform bill Dodd unveiled runs counter to Kennedy’s bipartisan approach. With Kennedy ailing, Dodd is serving as acting chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
The National Republican Congressional Committee has launched attack ads against politically vulnerable House Democrats who voted for the climate change bill on Friday.
Not to be outdone, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced last week that it is targeting seven Republicans who voted against the war supplemental bill. Those ads will run throughout the first week of July.
Liberal and conservative groups are leaning on members on healthcare reform, with the former calling on legislators to embrace the so-called public option and the latter urging them to reject it.
President Obama continues his push for healthcare reform not through advertisements, but via town hall meetings. Obama is scheduled to address the need for healthcare reform in Annandale, Va., on Wednesday.
Both major political parties are considering ways to shorten their presidential primary nomination process, but congressional races won’t be affected. It is assumed that once you get elected to Congress, you need to start preparing for your reelection race soon thereafter.
After an intense June, lawmakers deserve a break back home before the sprint to the August recess. But with so much riding in July, especially on healthcare, stakeholder groups believe the best way to lobby members is to pay for campaign ads this week.
“Healthcare reform is the No. 1 priority for our members this year and a public option is a non-negotiable part of real healthcare reform,” said Nita Chaudhary, the campaign director at MoveOn.org Political Action.
The Hill’s Jeffrey Young reported that MoveOn.org and other liberal groups have been airing television ads targeting Democratic lawmakers such as Sens. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Kay Hagan (N.C.) and Rep. Jim Cooper (Tenn.), for their stance on the public option.
Many members say campaign ads don’t affect their votes, which some political analysts dispute.
Regardless, lawmakers are likely to hear a lot of campaign rhetoric as they take in the fireworks this Independence Day.
But campaign ads are on the minds of many lawmakers this year, even though the 2010 elections are 16 months away.
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) praises Dodd in a recent campaign spot, saying, “Quality healthcare as a fundamental right for all Americans has been the cause of my life, and Chris Dodd has been my closest ally in this fight.”
Some Republicans, however, contend that the healthcare reform bill Dodd unveiled runs counter to Kennedy’s bipartisan approach. With Kennedy ailing, Dodd is serving as acting chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
The National Republican Congressional Committee has launched attack ads against politically vulnerable House Democrats who voted for the climate change bill on Friday.
Not to be outdone, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced last week that it is targeting seven Republicans who voted against the war supplemental bill. Those ads will run throughout the first week of July.
Liberal and conservative groups are leaning on members on healthcare reform, with the former calling on legislators to embrace the so-called public option and the latter urging them to reject it.
President Obama continues his push for healthcare reform not through advertisements, but via town hall meetings. Obama is scheduled to address the need for healthcare reform in Annandale, Va., on Wednesday.
Both major political parties are considering ways to shorten their presidential primary nomination process, but congressional races won’t be affected. It is assumed that once you get elected to Congress, you need to start preparing for your reelection race soon thereafter.
After an intense June, lawmakers deserve a break back home before the sprint to the August recess. But with so much riding in July, especially on healthcare, stakeholder groups believe the best way to lobby members is to pay for campaign ads this week.
“Healthcare reform is the No. 1 priority for our members this year and a public option is a non-negotiable part of real healthcare reform,” said Nita Chaudhary, the campaign director at MoveOn.org Political Action.
The Hill’s Jeffrey Young reported that MoveOn.org and other liberal groups have been airing television ads targeting Democratic lawmakers such as Sens. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Kay Hagan (N.C.) and Rep. Jim Cooper (Tenn.), for their stance on the public option.
Many members say campaign ads don’t affect their votes, which some political analysts dispute.
Regardless, lawmakers are likely to hear a lot of campaign rhetoric as they take in the fireworks this Independence Day.
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