Campaign

GOP attacks ‘Bidenomics’: It ‘ruined Christmas’

President Joe Biden speaks about the economy at Prince George's Community College, Center for the Performing Arts, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, in Largo, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is rolling out “’Bidenomics’ ruined Christmas” ads, taking a swipe at the administration and targeting more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers during the holiday season.

The ads started running Thursday in the lawmakers’ hometowns, an NRCC spokesperson confirmed to The Hill, linking the House members to the Biden administration’s economic agenda.

“The Holidays are a time of reflection,” NRCC National press secretary Will Reinert said in a statement. “This year we urge extreme House Democrats to consider the consequences of their radical policies and add ‘announcing their retirement’ to their list of New Year’s resolutions.”

Among the Democrats targeted by the ads are Reps. Mary Sattler Peltola (Alaska), Jahana Hayes (Conn.), Angie Craig (Minn.), Pat Ryan (N.Y.) and Susie Lee (Nev.). Many of their districts were rated by the nonpartisan political handicapper Cook Political Report as “lean” or “likely” Democrat next year. 

Others on the NRCC’s list are rated as Democratic “toss-up” seats: Reps. Jared Golden (Maine), Matt Cartwright (Penn.), Yadira Caraveo (Colo.) and Gabe Vasquez (N.M.).

An example ad shared by Punchbowl News, which first reported on the campaign plans, shows Peltola alongside the “Bidenomics ruined Christmas” title, with a call to “tell Mary Peltola to stop supporting reckless government spending fueling inflation.”

“Bidenomics made the American dream impossible,” the group said in another recent post.

But some in the party have urged a revamp to his economic messaging, arguing the term Bidenomics isn’t breaking through.

The NRCC shared on X, previously Twitter, earlier this week a call to, “Remember during this holiday season that Bidenomics hurt young and low-income Americans the most.”

As President Biden runs for reelection in 2024, he’s touted Bidenomics along the campaign trail, linking his name to his administration’s economic agenda to snag credit for his actions on the issue.

But Biden on Wednesday continued to promote the plan, saying in remarks at the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce that “when you increase the middle class, the poor have a shot and the wealthy still do very well, the middle class does well, and we all do well.”

“That’s what we call Bidenomics,” he added.