Contact: Lauren Passalacqua, David Bergstein – 202-545-3567
As Republicans like state senator Leah Vukmir, Kevin Nicholson, and Eric Hovde continue advancing their toxic health care agenda that spikes costs and slashes coverage, today the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is launching new Google search ads highlighting how the GOP’s plan fails “The Jimmy Kimmel Test” by gutting coverage for pre-existing conditions and making health care more expensive for Wisconsinites.
The ads will reach targeted voters in Wisconsin who are utilizing Google search terms like “Jimmy Kimmel,” “The Jimmy Kimmel Test,” “health care,” and “repeal” that are skyrocketing amongst key demographics following Mr. Kimmel’s statement Tuesday night opposing the GOP’s plan, as well as voters searching for information online about Vukmir, Nicholson, and Hovde’s health care record and the GOP’s health care agenda. The ads direct individuals to the DSCC’s health care spot “The Price,” and are part of an ongoing six-figure digital buy.
“There’s a reason Republicans’ toxic health care agenda would hurt Jimmy Kimmel’s family and hardworking families in Wisconsin: it spikes costs, imposes an age tax on older Americans, and guts coverage for pre-existing conditions,” said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman David Bergstein. “If Republicans like state senator Leah Vukmir, Kevin Nicholson, and Eric Hovde continue to push forward with their expensive and unpopular agenda, there will be no rock they can hide under to escape the voters who will hold them accountable in 2018.”
The Republicans’ latest health care proposal would be expensive and devastating for working families. The Kaiser Family Foundation found that the bill would allow insurers to charge older Americans up to 5 times more and hurts states “hardest hit by the opioid epidemic;” the Center For Budget and Policy Priorities found that the plan would dramatically cut Medicaid; and the Washington Post reported that the bill would gut coverage for preexisting conditions. Major patient and health advocacy organizations — including the American Medical Association, The AARP, The American Cancer Society Action Network, and The American Heart Association — oppose the GOP’s bill.
The DSCC is working aggressively to hold Republican Senate candidates accountable for their toxic health care agenda. In March, the DSCC first launched its 30 second health care spot, “The Price,” — described as a “gut punch of an ad” by MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow — alongside a health care website. Since then, the DSCC has released Google search advertisements; 6-second non-skippable Youtube bumper ads in 9 states; full-screen Google takeover ads against Sens. Heller (NV), Flake (AZ), Cruz (TX) and Gov. Scott (FL); geo-targeted Google search and display ads around 4th of July parades and events; Pandora radio ads against Sens. Heller (NV) and Flake (AZ); and most recently, a set of six-second, non-skippable bumper flock ads against Sens. Heller and Flake and potential Senate candidates in 8 states. The DSCC is the first campaign committee to utilize Google’s innovative bumper and full-screen takeover ad formats this cycle.
