Democrats hit Rubio, Johnson with ad on insulin cap vote

Senate Democrats are out with a digital ad targeting GOP Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ron Johnson (Wis.) over their votes against putting a $35 per month cap on out-of-pocket insulin costs for patients with private insurance.

The vote took place on an amendment to the Democratic climate, tax and health care package approved by the Senate last week. The amendment itself was blocked by Republicans.

The ad, which was shared with The Hill, features a photo of Rubio, Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) with a caption reading “Senate Republicans voted AGAINST insulin cap.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) said that it’s a five-figure digital campaign, and the ad will be displayed on news, politics and law websites for voters interested in prescription drugs. 

Democrats brought up the amendment after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that a provision in the reconciliation bill establishing the $35 cap violated a rule it needed to meet to be included in the package, which was moving through the Senate under special rules to get around a GOP filibuster.

The approved package did establish a $35 cap on out-of-pocket costs for insulin for people covered by Medicare.

Democrats needed 60 votes — a number that would have required at least 10 GOP votes — to overrule the parliamentarian.

Johnson and Rubio are both up for reelection this fall in contested races.

“Senate Republicans like Johnson and Rubio cast an ugly vote against a popular policy that will lower the cost of insulin for Americans. Johnson and Rubio showed they care more about their Big Pharma political donors than lowering costs for working families — and voters will hold them accountable in November,” DSCC spokesperson Nora Keefe said in a statement.