Six Senate Democrats up for reelection in states that voted for President Donald Trump are now at risk in the midterms because of their vote against a spending bill that triggered a shutdown, The Washington Post reported.
According to the Post, the National Republican Senatorial Committee early Saturday sent out an email blasting Democrats Sens. Robert Casey of Pennsylvania, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Debbi Stabenow of Michigan, Bill Nelson of Florida, Jon Tester of Montana and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.
“Bob Casey had to choose between doing what’s best for Pennsylvania and playing partisan games, and he chose the latter,” NRSC spokesman Bob Salera wrote in the email, according to the Post.
“By voting against extending [Children’s Health Insurance Program], critical funding for our troops and programs families rely on, Casey is once again proving that his loyalty lies with his liberal colleagues in Washington, not with Pennsylvania.”
Even before the late-Friday spending bill vote, the American Action Network, a group aligned with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., announced a national TV ad buy accusing “the Pelosi liberals” of “jeopardizing funding for our troops and jeopardizing funding for health care for millions of American children,” the Post reported.
The Post reported Democrats knew the attacks were coming and responded with videos and online ads — including one from the super PAC Priorities USA whose seven-figure digital ad buy in swing seats showing images of foreign threats and worried families .
But Democrats are still worried about prospects for incumbents in swing states, the Post reported.
According to the Post, a super PAC allied with Senate Democrats commissioned a poll in 12 battleground states in early December 2017, and it found that in more conservative states, blame for a shutdown would be split between Trump and Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
But when interviewers asked respondents about a shutdown that might be tied to illegal immigrants, Democrats absorbed more blame.
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