Adding Up

We are out with new ads today in 11 districts urging members who voted yes in November to vote yes again and encouraging members who voted no last time around to change their minds:

We’ve gotten some great coverage so far this morning from

Politico:

The progressive groups HCAN, SEIU, AFSCME, Catholics United and MoveOn are spending $1.7 million to run ads in 17 House districts between today and Friday. The ads both support members who voted “yes” on the House bill in November and urge “no” votes to flip. A technical note, because MoveOn spends PAC money, its commercials will air separately.

WaPo’s Plum Line:

Left ramps up ads, too: In an effort to pressure wavering House Dems, Health Care for America Now is going up with a big $1.4 million buy in 11 districts, calling on Dems to “listen to US, not the insurance companies”:

WaPo’s The Fix:

The other major player will be a group led by Health Care for America Now (HCAN) as well as two major labor unions — Service Employees International Union and the American Federation for State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). That coalition will run ads in 16 Democratic-districts hammering insurance companies and urging Members not to give in to them by voting against the bill.

CNN:

“We’re on the cusp of making history, and now is the time members of Congress must stand strong and side with us, not the insurance companies,” HCAN’s National Campaign Manager Richard Kirsch said in a statement. “The health insurance companies have unleashed their armies of lobbyists on Washington and have sunk millions into TV ads designed to derail reform, but Congress can and should ignore the corporate fear mongering and side with the American public.”

TPMDC:

The ads will run in the districts of Reps. Jason Altmire (PA), John Boccieri (OH), Jim Costa (CA), Steve Driehaus (IL), Brad Ellsworth (IN), Bill Foster (IL), Suzanne Kosmas (FL), Harry Mitchell (AZ), Alan Mollohan (WV), Scott Murphy (NY) and Earl Pomeroy (ND).

and Roll Call:

The union-backed Health Care for America Now is launching a $1.2 million ad campaign that will begin airing in 11 Congressional districts today and in three to five more districts on Wednesday. The ads target a number of lawmakers who voted against the health care bill that was approved by the House last year, including Reps. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), John Boccieri (D-Ohio) and Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla.). The spots highlight rate hikes by health insurance companies, telling viewers that “if the insurance companies win, we lose.”

While HCAN had retreated from running ads recently, spokeswoman Jacki Schechner said, “I think it is fair to say with the date of the vote becoming more certain, we recognized there were places where it would be helpful to get our message out.”

UPDATE: More Politico:

Another late spot from Health Care for America Now, AFSCME, SEIU and Catholics United, a liberal Catholic group, focuses on insurance company premium hikes.

They’re reportedly spending $1.4 million on the ad, to target in 17 swing Democrats.

You can watch all the ads online here. The full press release is here.

UPDATE 2: Marketwatch:

Health Care for America Now, which supports the overhaul, is launching ads Tuesday along with the Service Employees International Union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Catholics United. The groups spent $1.4 million on ads telling House members who voted yes in November to vote yes again, and also on ads urging those who voted no to vote yes now.

“We’re on the cusp of making history, and now is the time members of Congress must stand strong and side with us, not the insurance companies,” said Richard Kirsch, HCAN’s national campaign manager.

UPDATE 3: USA Today:

Updated at 11:10 p.m. ET: Another liberal coalition has just announced a $1.4 million ad buy in support of health care legislation.

The Health Care for America Now, Service Employees International Union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Catholics United are underwriting the ads, which will start today. They will run in the districts of members of Congress viewed as swing votes on the health care bill.

CBS:

A House vote on the health care package could come as early as Friday, but it is still unclear whether Democrats have enough votes to support it. A collection of pro-reform groups today are rolling out a new $1.4 million ad campaign this week in 11 key districts to coincide with the expected timing of the vote. The ads are sponsored by Health Care for America Now, SEIU, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Catholics United.

“After a year of debate, and decades of knowing that the system needs to be fixed, it’s time to put health reform to a vote to see who sides with the American people and who sides with the insurance industry,” AFSCME International President Gerald McEntee said in a statement. “Let’s get this done – now.”


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