Some of the digital ads from the DCCC campaign. Courtesy of DCCC
Democratic-aligned groups aren't wasting time ramping up their attacks on Republicans for supporting the Medicaid cuts in the GOP tax and spending law.
Why it matters: It's a preview of the strategy Democrats hope to deploy for the midterms to win back control of one or both chambers of Congress.
State of play: The DCCC announced its first digital ad buy of the 2026 campaign cycle Monday with ads highlighting the legislation's effects on rural hospitals.
- The ads depict pictures of lawmakers in 35 districts that the DCCC marks as "in play," with an arrow pointing to the member and saying "Because of his vote, rural hospitals across America are now at risk of closing."
Protect Our Care launched ads Thursday, immediately after Republicans passed the reconciliation bill.
- The group's seven-figure ad campaign is running in 10 swing districts, branding the legislation as the "biggest cut to Medicaid in history" and saying more than 13 million Americans could lose their health care as a result.
- "Congressman Rob Bresnahan just voted for it," the ad targeted to his Pennsylvania district says.
Another group, Unrig our Economy, also launched ads Thursday in 12 congressional districts highlighting the impact of Medicaid cuts.
Between the lines: The ads are all mostly targeting the House Republicans who had expressed concerns about Medicaid cuts but who ended up voting for the bill. They include Reps. Don Bacon, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Bresnahan.
- Democrats hope that ramping up health care messaging will help them regain at least the House in 2026, the way the "blue wave" of 2018 did in the wake of the failed ACA repeal effort.
