Democrats unleash Medicare attack ads in congressional races

Aug 18 2012

The New York Times' The Caucus: New Ad From Democrats Attacks Michigan Lawmaker On Medicare
Medicare is the ammunition, and a Michigan congressman is the target of the latest ad released by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The television ad, assailing Representative Dan Benishek of Michigan, is the first released by the committee during the general election (Berg, 8/16).

Roll Call (Video): North Carolina: New DCCC Hits Mike McIntyre Opponent On Medicare
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will begin airing an ad today knocking North Carolina state Sen. David Rouzer, the Republican opponent of Rep. Mike McIntyre in the Tarheel State's 7th district. It's the DCCC's second independent expenditure ad of the election season and follows their standard messaging playbook, implicitly hitting GOP candidates for support of Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan's budget, while explicitly hitting them for wanting to "essentially end Medicare" (Miller, 8/17).

Meanwhile, Politico Pro reports that reproductive-rights organizations are proving to be valuable fundraising assets for Demoncratic women running for seats in swing states.

Politico Pro: Reproductive-Rights Groups Fund Races
Democrats are winning the so-called War on Women, at least when it comes to fundraising. The 12 Democratic women running for Senate this fall have raised a combined $110 million, more than twice as much as the $42 million their Republican opponents have raised. Their cash advantage is fueled by liberal donors looking to secure seats in some of the hottest swing states, cash funneled through EMILY's List -; which earmarks donations to Democratic women in favor of abortion rights -; and donors fired up over reproductive-rights controversies (Bravender, 8/16).