Democratic campaign group’s ads attack Hill

WASHINGTON — The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running radio ads in Arkansas attacking U.S. Rep. French Hill for voting to repeal the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The ads will air on KARN, KKPT, KMJX, KOKY and KHKN, the Democratic group said.

The second-term Republican from Little Rock, along with the rest of the state’s delegation, had promised during the campaign to help repeal and replace the health care law.

Legislation overturning the law passed the Republican-controlled House, with Hill’s support, but stalled in the Senate, where Republicans have a narrow 52-48 majority.

Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District, which Hill represents, is one of 11 Republican-held districts where the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is opening what it described as a sizable “six-figure persuasion campaign.”

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee describes itself as the campaign arm of House Democrats and “the only political committee in the country whose principal mission is to support Democratic House candidates every step of the way to victory.”

The 2nd District, which includes Pulaski County, hasn’t elected a Democrat to Congress since 2008.

In addition to the radio ads, which criticize Hill by name, the Democratic group also will be running ads on CNN and MSNBC criticizing House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and “Washington establishment Republicans” for their health care votes.

Democratic campaign committee spokesman Cole Leiter said Democrats want to expand affordable health care coverage, but “Rep. Hill has shown he’ll stop at nothing to rip away affordable health care coverage from his constituents.”

Michael Siegel, a Hill campaign spokesman, said the Republican lawmaker is looking out for the interests of hardworking Arkansans.

“Congressman Hill is working to lower health costs, protect the most vulnerable with pre-existing conditions, and deliver tax relief and jobs for middle class families against total obstruction by [Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi and her liberal allies in Washington who paid for this disingenuous ad,” he said through email.