Democrats Gear Up to Criticize Republicans Over Health Care, a Successful Strategy in 2018.
Democratic House leaders are encouraging legislators to "localize" the impacts of Medicaid cuts.
TroibNews 
House Democrats capitalized on health care issues to regain the majority in 2018, and they are now poised to strike again. Ahead of a scheduled budget vote on Tuesday, private messaging guidance from party leaders, which was obtained by PMG, urged Democratic lawmakers to call out Republicans for “betray[ing] the middle class by cutting Medicaid while giving huge tax breaks to billionaire donors.” The guidance encouraged members to “localize” the negative impacts of significant Medicaid cuts.
“It is critical that you make the damaging local impacts of this legislation real for the people you represent,” the memo indicated.
The messaging strategy highlights a growing consensus among Democrats that Medicaid issues provide a strong platform for attacking President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress. Recent events suggest that these budget votes, if held on Tuesday evening, could resonate; Republican lawmakers experienced backlash from angry constituents at town halls last week, while protesters rallied against Medicaid cuts at district offices in various states, including Arizona, California, Iowa, and Pennsylvania.
Democrats are also influenced by internal polling, which reinforces their strategy to focus on Medicaid. A Democratic survey from late January revealed that 81 percent of registered voters oppose cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, with 76 percent of Republicans also against such measures.
House Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with House Democratic leadership, is considering Medicaid-focused paid advertisements, as confirmed by communications director C.J. Warnke. Additionally, several House Democrats are preparing a variety of Medicaid-related content, particularly on social media, according to two strategists involved who requested anonymity.
“Democrats are spending a lot of time diagnosing their problem with working class voters, but can't ignore that one of the cures can come from this fight to protect Medicaid,” noted Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson.
Democrats expressed relief that the recent protests and spirited town halls were directed at Republicans rather than themselves, especially after weeks of criticism regarding their resistance to Trump.
“We need to put our anger where it belongs, and that's on the people who are hurting working Americans, and that is Trump and the Republicans who don't have the courage to stand up to him,” stated Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez.
In 2015, Democrats effectively used GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the passage of a tax package as rallying points, leading to a wave of electoral victories in 2018, when 29 Republican incumbents lost their seats in Congress.
Rep. Angie Craig, who flipped a red seat in 2018, observed “a lot of energy” among her party’s base today, noting that party members are directing their anger toward the ruling Republicans.
“If you want to stop a policy that you disagree with, you're going to need Republicans to stand with us on those policies, and I think people are starting to get it,” she said.
Unlike in 2017, Democrats in 2025 face challenges rallying their supporters after Trump’s recent election victory. The party has experienced a decline in social media engagement, with many potential 2028 presidential candidates remaining largely silent.
Nevertheless, Democrats are witnessing a surge of grassroots energy in response to proposed cuts in federal workforce funding under Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and House Republicans’ threats to Medicaid.
“It’s the first thing that will be such an obvious big deal to voters,” explained Brian Stryker, a Democratic pollster. “It’s a really big deal to voters, and the story isn’t complicated. They want to cut health care. There isn’t a complicated story on fiscal policy or process here.”
Some Republicans, especially those in swing districts, have raised alarms over significant cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and other social safety-net programs. Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser, cautioned on his War Room podcast about potential repercussions of Medicaid cuts, stating, “a lot of MAGAs are on Medicaid.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson declared Monday that he would not bend to pressure from dissenting members but noted, “everybody needs to understand that the resolution is merely the starting point for the process.”
“So there’s nothing specific about Medicaid in the resolution,” Johnson clarified. “The legislation comes later, so this is the important first start.”
In a recent Fox News appearance, Trump claimed that Medicare and Medicaid “none of that stuff is going to be touched,” but the following day, he endorsed Johnson’s budget plan.
In response, Democrats seized the opportunity.
“We're going to remind people what they stand for, what their values are, and that they aren't standing up for working families and they aren't standing up even for basic issues that they ran on in the last election,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
The battle over Medicaid messaging has already begun in campaign ads. The liberal nonprofit group Protect Our Care launched $10 million worth of ads accusing Republican lawmakers of jeopardizing Medicaid, putting it “on the ‘chopping block.’”
“In 2017, the Republicans’ inability to effectively manage health care was detrimental to them, and they’re making the same mistake again,” asserted Dan Sena, who previously led the DCCC during the 2018 campaign cycle. “This is an enormous pocketbook motivator for people to get out and vote against them months from now.”
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
“It is critical that you make the damaging local impacts of this legislation real for the people you represent,” the memo indicated.
The messaging strategy highlights a growing consensus among Democrats that Medicaid issues provide a strong platform for attacking President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress. Recent events suggest that these budget votes, if held on Tuesday evening, could resonate; Republican lawmakers experienced backlash from angry constituents at town halls last week, while protesters rallied against Medicaid cuts at district offices in various states, including Arizona, California, Iowa, and Pennsylvania.
Democrats are also influenced by internal polling, which reinforces their strategy to focus on Medicaid. A Democratic survey from late January revealed that 81 percent of registered voters oppose cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, with 76 percent of Republicans also against such measures.
House Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with House Democratic leadership, is considering Medicaid-focused paid advertisements, as confirmed by communications director C.J. Warnke. Additionally, several House Democrats are preparing a variety of Medicaid-related content, particularly on social media, according to two strategists involved who requested anonymity.
“Democrats are spending a lot of time diagnosing their problem with working class voters, but can't ignore that one of the cures can come from this fight to protect Medicaid,” noted Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson.
Democrats expressed relief that the recent protests and spirited town halls were directed at Republicans rather than themselves, especially after weeks of criticism regarding their resistance to Trump.
“We need to put our anger where it belongs, and that's on the people who are hurting working Americans, and that is Trump and the Republicans who don't have the courage to stand up to him,” stated Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez.
In 2015, Democrats effectively used GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the passage of a tax package as rallying points, leading to a wave of electoral victories in 2018, when 29 Republican incumbents lost their seats in Congress.
Rep. Angie Craig, who flipped a red seat in 2018, observed “a lot of energy” among her party’s base today, noting that party members are directing their anger toward the ruling Republicans.
“If you want to stop a policy that you disagree with, you're going to need Republicans to stand with us on those policies, and I think people are starting to get it,” she said.
Unlike in 2017, Democrats in 2025 face challenges rallying their supporters after Trump’s recent election victory. The party has experienced a decline in social media engagement, with many potential 2028 presidential candidates remaining largely silent.
Nevertheless, Democrats are witnessing a surge of grassroots energy in response to proposed cuts in federal workforce funding under Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and House Republicans’ threats to Medicaid.
“It’s the first thing that will be such an obvious big deal to voters,” explained Brian Stryker, a Democratic pollster. “It’s a really big deal to voters, and the story isn’t complicated. They want to cut health care. There isn’t a complicated story on fiscal policy or process here.”
Some Republicans, especially those in swing districts, have raised alarms over significant cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and other social safety-net programs. Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser, cautioned on his War Room podcast about potential repercussions of Medicaid cuts, stating, “a lot of MAGAs are on Medicaid.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson declared Monday that he would not bend to pressure from dissenting members but noted, “everybody needs to understand that the resolution is merely the starting point for the process.”
“So there’s nothing specific about Medicaid in the resolution,” Johnson clarified. “The legislation comes later, so this is the important first start.”
In a recent Fox News appearance, Trump claimed that Medicare and Medicaid “none of that stuff is going to be touched,” but the following day, he endorsed Johnson’s budget plan.
In response, Democrats seized the opportunity.
“We're going to remind people what they stand for, what their values are, and that they aren't standing up for working families and they aren't standing up even for basic issues that they ran on in the last election,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
The battle over Medicaid messaging has already begun in campaign ads. The liberal nonprofit group Protect Our Care launched $10 million worth of ads accusing Republican lawmakers of jeopardizing Medicaid, putting it “on the ‘chopping block.’”
“In 2017, the Republicans’ inability to effectively manage health care was detrimental to them, and they’re making the same mistake again,” asserted Dan Sena, who previously led the DCCC during the 2018 campaign cycle. “This is an enormous pocketbook motivator for people to get out and vote against them months from now.”
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
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