Stupak to Target Dems: Thanks For Selling Out On Abortion, Now Here’s Some Cash
Stupak to Driehaus: Thanks For Selling Out On Abortion, Now Here’s Some Cash
After Destroying His Own Career, Stupak Lines Sellouts’ Coffers in an Attempt to Save Theirs
Washington– After destroying his own political career by selling out on his “pro-life” values and voting for his party’s unpopular healthcare takeover, Democrat Bart Stupak is making a last-ditch attempt to bail out fellow sellout Steve Driehaus. Driehaus originally endorsed an amendment proposed by Stupak prohibiting federally funded abortions, but then – just like Stupak – sold out his constituents and supported a healthcare bill without those restrictions. And now that Ohio families see Driehaus’ political double-speak for what it is, he will need more than Stupak’s tainted “thank you” money to save his imperiled political career.
“Retiring Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak is showing his gratitude to fellow anti-abortion Democrats with a wave of farewell contributions…Since announcing his retirement in April, Stupak has cut campaign checks for Ohio Rep. Steve Driehaus, Indiana Reps. Joe Donnelly and Baron Hill and Pennsylvania Reps. Chris Carney and Kathy Dahlkemper — all of whom joined Stupak in negotiating with leadership for tighter limits on federal support for abortion.”
“The Michigan lawmaker has made 26 separate contributions following his retirement, for a total of $35,000 in donations. Some of those funds went to other vulnerable incumbents, including New York Rep. Mike McMahon, North Dakota Rep. Earl Pomeroy and Virginia Rep. Tom Perriello.” (Alex Isenstadt, “Stupak shores up health care allies,” Politico, 7/13/2010)
Months after pushing their healthcare takeover through Congress, House Democrats have been forced to deal with a barrage of negative blowback and, as a result, their political careers are now on the line.
“To determine how this is likely to affect the midterms, we used a statistical model to isolate the independent impact of people’s opinion about health reform…Voters who opposed health reform were around 20 percentage points more likely to vote for the Republican candidate.” (David Brady, Daniel Kessler and Douglas Rivers, “ObamaCare and the Independent Vote,” Wall Street Journal, 6/19/2010)
“The latest tracking poll from the nonpartisan health care think tank the Kaiser Family Foundation, however, shows just 29% of Americans think they would be “better off” under the Affordable Care Act, compared to 42% who believed that in November.” (Kate Pickert, “New Health-Reform Campaign Puts Democratic Candidates in a Tough Spot,” Time, 6/15/2010
“Just like fellow sellout Bart Stupak, Steve Driehaus’ political career is now in jeopardy after caving on his previous self-proclaimed ‘pro-life’ values,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “After following Stupak off the cliff by voting for his party’s healthcare takeover and selling out on his beliefs, Driehaus is filling his campaign coffers in a last-ditch effort to save his career. With the majority of voters still opposed to the Democrats’ healthcare takeover and small businesses across the country worried about its negative implications, Stupak’s tainted funds won’t be enough to salvage Driehaus’ crumbling political career.”