Democratic super PAC drops ad targeting GOP on ObamaCare ahead of New York special election

A Democratic super PAC is releasing a new ad targeting Republicans over ObamaCare ahead of a special election in New York to replace former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.). 

Progress Action Fund is behind the ad, which was first shared with The Hill, called “Republicans in Your Hospital.” It depicts a patient who needs lifesaving surgery but is denied the medical procedure because Republicans have apparently repealed ObamaCare.

“Doctor, he’s flatlining,” a medical professional says in the 30-second spot, before a doctor says, “We need to get him into surgery.” 

A Republican congressman tells the doctor, “Sorry, you can’t do that. … Now that we’re in charge, we repealed ObamaCare, and we’re not paying for this surgery.”

After the doctor pleads with the Republican congressman, telling him the patient is dying and demanding he leave the hospital, the Republican congressman says, “I won the last election, I’m not going anywhere.” 

“Besides, if he wanted health care, he should have been rich like me,” the GOP lawmaker adds. 

The ad is a part of a $250,000 buy ahead of New York’s special election in the 3rd Congressional District. It’s set to air on TVs, streaming services and online platforms, along with the super PAC’s previous ads — “Republicans in Your Bedroom” and “Republicans Watching Your Daughter” — that are also a part of the buy. 

The ad is set to be promoted by the super PAC and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.). A press release noted the two had “announced a partnership to promote ads in battleground races for the 2024 election cycle.”

“When it comes to messaging in political ads, too often Democrats are too nice and too wonky. Since 2020, my creative team and I have produced viral ads that speak to the heart — rather the heads — of potential voters,” Swalwell said in a statement. “For this consequential election, Joe and the Progress Action Fund team have created equally hard-hitting, compelling ads. Partnering to promote these types of ads will ensure we communicate to voters exactly what’s at stake and what we must all do.”

President Trump has in recent months criticized the President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, saying in a post on his Truth Social platform in November that “it was a low point for the Republican Party” when the GOP couldn’t repeal it in 2017. He suggested in another post that he would “come up with a much better, and less expensive, alternative” if he were reelected.  

President Biden seized on the comments, saying in November, “My predecessor, once again — God love him — called for cuts that could rip away health insurance for tens of millions of Americans on Medicaid.”  

“They don’t give up. But guess what, we won’t let these things happen,” the president added. 

Republicans have largely sought to distance themselves from Trump’s comments.  

“I’m for lowering costs and making our health care system more efficient, but I’m not sure — I’d want to know what the proposal is,” Senate Republican Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said in November. 

Former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) is running for his old House seat against Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip, who’s served in the Israeli military and in the Nassau County Legislature. The special election is Feb. 13.

The race is critical for Republicans, as a number of retirements and vacancies have left the party with a tight majority. Former Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) departure at the end of the year left Republicans with only a margin of three votes they could lose and still pass legislation. That number is temporarily dropping to two votes as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) has a stem cell transplant. 

Progress Action Fund said the election will be a referendum on Republicans, arguing they’re encroaching in voters’ lives. 

“Voters in NY-03 will make it clear on February 13 that they do not want creepy, unhinged Republicans invading their bedrooms, their doctor’s office, or their personal lives in any shape or form,” Progress Action Fund founder Joe Jacobson said in a statement.