Liberal group targets potential Republican healthcare swing votes

A liberal advocacy group is running new television and digital advertising targeting Republican senators who could be potential swing votes on the Senate’s ObamaCare repeal bill.

The seven-figure buy from Save My Care will run TV and digital ads in four states: Alaska, Nevada, Maine and West Virginia.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Dean Heller (Nev.), Susan Collins (Maine) and Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.) are among the more moderate Republican senators who could prove crucial if any of them choose to oppose Senate leadership’s emerging legislation.

{mosads}Discussions are being held behind closed doors, but activists have been mobilizing to draw attention to the details that are known. Many senators want to end ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion, and the negotiations are currently centered on just how long the phase-out will be.

Heller and Capito represent expansion states and recently said they support a proposal that would gradually end the extra federal funding expansion states receive over a seven-year period. Collins hasn’t tipped her hand, and Murkowski has consistently said she supports expansion and won’t vote for ending expansion if her state legislature wants to keep it.

She also said recently she wasn’t sure she could support the emerging bill because she doesn’t know what policies will be included.

Senate leaders can only afford to lose two votes when they bring the legislation to the floor. It’s a delicate balancing act, and if enough moderates can be convinced to oppose the bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) may need to rely on conservatives such as Rand Paul (Ky.) or Mike Lee (Utah) to help pass the measure.