ICYMI – Axios: Democrats target vulnerable House Republicans over veterans benefits

This morning, Axios released a story highlighting the efforts of Courage for America and other outside groups holding MAGA House members accountable for forcing the country to the brink of a catastrophic national default in order to gut veterans’ benefits and other critical programs Americans rely on.

Read the full story here and find key excerpts below:

Four House Republicans are the targets of a growing pressure campaign using the GOP debt ceiling bill to try to tank vulnerable moderates.

Why it matters: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s fight extends far beyond Washington, with a coalition of outside groups ratcheting up the heat by highlighting the bill’s potential cuts to veterans benefits.
Courage For America (CFA), a Democratic group focused the House of Representatives, is going after Republicans in Virginia, New York, and California.
They released a new TV ad on Tuesday in Rep. Jen Kiggans’ (R-VA.) district featuring one of her constituents who is a retired Coast Guard veteran.
By voting for Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s debt bill, Rep. Kiggans is “jeopardizing veteran’s health care,” the woman in the ad says.
CFA and others will also host events later this week with veterans and constituents of Republican Rep. John Duarte of California, and Reps. Mark Molinaro and Brandon Williams of New York in their districts.

The big picture: More than half a dozen outside groups are targeting 20+ House Republicans on the issue, Axios has learned, with 7-figure campaigns and hundreds of thousands of organizers.
Dems need to net five U.S. House seats to take back control in 2024.
The debt ceiling showdown gives their party a clear opening to hit the GOP on issues that typically help them appeal to voters: Veterans, policing, and border security.

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