GOP Launches Radio Ads To Promote Obamacare Replacement

The Republican health-care bill revealed on Monday has faced a rocky debut in the public eye.

Staunch conservatives don’t think it goes far enough to take apart the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare. Progressives, Democrats and even some Republicans find the new bill places an undue burden on the middle class and gives unnecessary tax breaks to the wealthy.

To bolster support for the replacement, the GOP nonprofit One Nation, a group focused on Senate races, launched a set of radio ads urging support for the repeal and replacement of the ACA.

The 60-second ads are the second half of a $3 million ad buy focused on building support for the new healthcare law, according to Politico’s "Morning Score." The radio ads are being aired in 10 states.

The entire ad buy includes TV ads that aired in nine states, digital, print and direct mail ads.

“Obamacare has been a disaster for Ohio families. … We’re paying more for health care. A lot more. … It’s time to repeal and replace the health-care mess voted for by Sen. Sherrod Brown. … Congress can start by eliminating Obamacare’s $1 trillion in tax hikes,” goes the voiceover for one of the ads.

The radio ads began airing on Monday -- House Republicans plan to start marking up the new bill on Wednesday.

Five vulnerable Democrats, who are seeking reelection in 2018, are being targeted by the radio ads: Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Sen. Bill Nelson in Florida, Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Sen. Claire McCaskill from Missouri and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

The ads are also running in states where Republicans Senators could face strong challengers in 2018: Jeff Flake of Arizona and Nevada’s Dean Heller. The ad buy rounds out in Utah, Tennessee and Alaska, where there are four Republican Senators who have have not shown strong support for repeal and replace.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has already said she would vote against a bill that cancels the Medicaid expansion.

One Nation is run by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

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