House Democrats' campaign operation is focusing some of its earliest spending of the cycle on hitting Republicans over the debt ceiling, Social Security and Medicare spending, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It's a signal that Democrats plan to focus their policy message on painting Republicans as eager to extract Social Security and Medicare cuts in negotiations over raising the debt ceiling later this year.
- It would be a repeat of their strategy in the final stages of the 2022 campaign, when Democrats held off a GOP landslide.
- Democratic strategists told Axios' Caitlin Owens their party is eager to make 2024 an election focused on Social Security and Medicare.
Driving the news: House Majority Forward, the non-profit arm of the House Democratic leadership-aligned House Majority PAC, is spending $350,000 on digital ads and billboards targeting 16 swing district House Republicans, according to a press release obtained by Axios.
- The billboards urge voters to tell the lawmakers, "Don't hold our economy hostage to cut social security and Medicare."
The other side: Republicans have said cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits are off the table in debt limit talks as they work to substantially scale back federal spending.
- President Biden's suggestion in his State of the Union that some Republicans favor cuts to the programs drew shouts of "liar!" from GOP lawmakers seated in the chamber.
What caught our eye: Seven of the targets are in New York, where a net gain of three seats served as the cornerstone of House Republicans' new majority.
- House Majority PAC on Wednesday announced a $45 million fund targeting seats in the state as part of their efforts to retake the House.