Anxious Senate Republicans are worried party leaders are focusing too much this election year on ObamaCare and not enough on jobs and the economy.
The concern among GOP centrists comes as President Obama and congressional Democrats are crowing about a surge in late enrollments and claiming the political winds are shifting around the Affordable Care Act.
A growing rift in the GOP was exposed when a group of Senate Republicans recently struck a bipartisan deal to extend unemployment benefits. Neither Speaker John Boehner
John Andrew BoehnerLiz Cheney faces a big decision on her future NBC's Kelly O'Donnell tears up over video celebrating 25 years at network Boehner: 'I wouldn't bother' with primary challenge to Trump if I were Kasich MORE (R-Ohio) nor Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOvernight Health Care: HHS issues rule requiring drug prices in TV ads | Grassley, Wyden working on plan to cap drug costs in Medicare | Warren to donate money from family behind opioid giant Republicans rip GOP Intel decision to subpoena Trump Jr. On The Money: White House files notice of China tariff hikes | Dems cite NYT report in push for Trump tax returns | Trump hits Iran with new sanctions | Trump praises GM for selling shuttered Ohio factory | Ex-Im Bank back at full strength MORE (R-Ky.) embraced the agreement.
Sen. Dean Heller
Dean Arthur HellerThis week: Barr back in hot seat over Mueller report Trump suggests Heller lost reelection bid because he was 'hostile' during 2016 presidential campaign Trump picks ex-oil lobbyist David Bernhardt for Interior secretary MORE (R-Nev.), who spearheaded efforts to find a compromise on jobless benefits, said, “It’s my opinion that the Affordable Care Act is going to play in this election, but I don’t think it’s the main issue. I think the main issue is going to be the economy and jobs.
“If we have solutions and answers on the economy and jobs, I think that the Affordable Care Act will take a back seat to it. If we think we’re going to win or lose the majority based on one single piece of legislation ... I think we’re mistaken.”
The error-plagued ObamaCare rollout and the president’s broken promise that people could keep their healthcare plans has helped put Republicans in a strong position to seize the Senate.
But some Republicans, including a senator who requested anonymity, fear the issue’s potency could fade following the March 31 enrollment deadline as news media move to other stories.
“It’s got to be a much broader appeal than one piece of legislation,” said Heller, who isn’t up for reelection in 2014.
Heller’s comments are strikingly similar to those from Sen. Charles Schumer
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerTrump will 'hang tough' on China, political fallout be damned Do Democrats really want to see the unredacted special counsel report? Schumer 'can't wait' for his grandson to meet cousin Amy Schumer's baby MORE (N.Y.) and other Democrats who say voters are not as focused on ObamaCare as Republicans believe.
Heller joined Republican Sens. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsOvernight Health Care: Trump wants HHS to help Florida with drug imports | Graham calls inaction on drug prices 'unacceptable' | Abortion battles heat up with Kavanaugh on Supreme Court Bipartisan pair of senators urges Barr to defend ObamaCare in court Susan Rice slams Trump's foreign policy: He 'encourages' Russia to interfere in our elections MORE (Maine), Rob Portman
Robert (Rob) Jones PortmanOn The Money: White House files notice of China tariff hikes | Dems cite NYT report in push for Trump tax returns | Trump hits Iran with new sanctions | Trump praises GM for selling shuttered Ohio factory | Ex-Im Bank back at full strength Trump tweet sends stocks of electric-vehicle maker soaring The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump ramps up fight by asserting executive privilege MORE (Ohio), Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiMoore's bid for Federal Reserve looks increasingly shaky Patricia Arquette pushes for Equal Rights Amendment at hearing Senate GOP women pose obstacle for Moore as Fed pick MORE (Alaska) and Mark Kirk
Mark Steven KirkEx-GOP Sen. Kirk registers to lobby The global reality behind 'local' problems Dems vow swift action on gun reform next year MORE (Ill.) to negotiate a five-month extension of unemployment benefits with Democrats.
While Republican leaders talk often about the slowness of the economic recovery, they frequently do so in the context of ObamaCare.
“The president’s healthcare plan has such broad-based impact, it’s hard to escape that as an overriding issue, whether it’s the impact it’s had on part-time work or the impact it’s had on people deciding not to hire back and fill positions,” said Sen. Roy Blunt
Roy Dean BluntOn The Money: Moore withdraws from Fed consideration | Decries 'unrelenting attacks' | GOP senator tells White House to 'do some research' before next pick GOP senator to White House on Fed pick: 'Please do some research' Mueller fails to break stalemate on election meddling crackdown MORE (Mo.), vice chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
Many Republicans claim ObamaCare is a gift that keeps giving, saying experts predict premiums will skyrocket in coming months and years. House GOP lawmakers hope to unveil an Affordable Care Act replacement later this year.
After months of getting pummeled over the law’s botched implementation, Democrats say the tide is beginning to turn in their favor.
The White House on Tuesday touted the enrollment of more than 7 million people, a figure that seemed unattainable mere months ago. Republicans counter that millions lost their healthcare coverage last year because of ObamaCare mandates.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Harry Mason ReidMitch McConnell is not invincible Seven big decisions facing Biden in 2020 primary Senate buzzsaw awaits 2020 progressive proposals MORE (D-Nev.) played offense Tuesday on ObamaCare, a topic he usually avoids.
“We all know about the early setbacks with the rollout of ObamaCare, but here it is today; we have a number that no one thought we could arrive at a few months ago,” Reid said in introductory remarks at a press conference. “People are hungry for the benefits of this law.”
GOP strategists warn party leaders not to put all their eggs into the ObamaCare basket if they want to capture as many Democratic seats as possible in November.
“Republicans need to be very careful to sketch out a positive vision for the fall as part of their election strategy. If they’re viewed as too focused on ObamaCare and saying bad things about Obama-Care, it’s a very dour message and not likely to bring over swing voters,” said John Ullyot, a former Senate aide and GOP strategist.
Ullyot said swing voters want to see a positive agenda, adding, “It may be that ObamaCare is less of a negative six months from now than it is today.”
Collins, who is seeking reelection in a Democratic-leaning state, has sought compromise with Democrats on raising the minimum wage to a level below the $10.10 an hour sought by Obama.
In doing so, the senator has broken with McConnell, who has ruled out a boost to the minimum wage as a job killer.
Republican operatives say GOP leaders would be wise to shift some of their emphasis away from ObamaCare now that the enrollment deadline has passed.
Ron Bonjean, a GOP strategist and former Senate and House leadership aide, said, “The narrative will likely change somewhat toward the economy once again. ObamaCare will be front and center between now and the election, but the intensity will go down, leaving Republicans a chance to talk about what they would do differently with the economy.”
McConnell on Tuesday focused on the economy, urging Reid to allow votes on Republican amendments to spur job creation.
“While Senate Democrats dust off the same poll-tested ideas for papering over the symptoms of malaise, Republicans are proposing concrete ideas aimed at igniting the economy and giving people real hope for something more, something better than what they’ve been getting for the last five years, something that speaks to their hopes and potential,” McConnell said on the floor.
McConnell, who faces a primary and general election challenge, offered an amendment to the pending unemployment benefits package that would stop what he calls the administration’s “war on coal.”
This article was updated at 10:20 a.m.
