Health Law Attack Ads Pressure Democratic Congressional Candidates

An onslaught of ads targets vulnerable Democrats for their support of the overhaul. Health law opponents, notably the Americans for Prosperity group, which is in part financed by the Koch brothers, have spent an estimated $20 million on television advertising. A conservative Hispanic advocacy group is also planning its own round of ads. 

The New York Times: Ads Attacking On Health Law Stagger Outspent Democrats
Democrats are increasingly anxious about an onslaught of television ads hitting vulnerable Senate and House candidates for their support of the new health law, since many lack the resources to fight back in the early stages of the midterm campaign. Since September, Americans for Prosperity, a group financed in part by the billionaire Koch brothers, has spent an estimated $20 million on television advertising that calls out House and Senate Democrats by name for their support of the Affordable Care Act (Hulse, 1/15).

The New York Times' The Caucus: Conservative Group To Air Ads Attacking Health Law In Michigan And Iowa
One of the country's most well-funded conservative groups is betting that public anger against President Obama's signature health initiative is broad and deep enough to expand the field of competitive Senate races this November. The group, Americans for Prosperity, will begin a $1.8 million television advertising campaign on Tuesday attacking Democratic Senate candidates in Iowa and Michigan, states that went for Mr. Obama in 2012. The campaign, further bolstered by radio and Internet expenditures, will also include an advertisement thanking Representative Steve Daines, a Republican Senate candidate in Montana, for his efforts opposing the health care act (Confessore, 1/14).

The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire: Ads Attack Democratic Candidates In Iowa, Michigan
Americans for Prosperity, the well-funded conservative group that has shelled out millions attacking Democrats in states President Barack Obama lost, is turning its attention to a pair of states the president won. The group kicked off a $2 million advertising blitz Tuesday that centers on ads criticizing Democratic Senate candidates in Iowa and Michigan for supporting Mr. Obama’s new health law. The campaign also includes ads thanking Rep. Steve Daines, the Republican Senate candidate in Montana, for opposing the law (O’Connor, 1/14).

Politico: Hispanic Group Offers Anti-ACA Ad
A conservative Hispanic advocacy group will launch a new round of ads Wednesday targeting a vulnerable House Democrat over Obamacare — an effort that highlights the problems that it says Latinos have faced with the health care law. The ad from the LIBRE Initiative goes after Rep. Joe Garcia (D-Fla.) and stars a Latina doctor in southern Florida who cites a handful of concerns she has about the Affordable Care Act — such as higher premiums and canceled insurance policies (Kim, 1/14).