A number of advertisements cheering the Obamacare replacement bill that never came this week aired on TV Friday while millions of Americans tuned in to watch March Madness and NBA basketball.
The ads, paid for by political nonprofit American Action Network, played on CBS in certain markets congratulating various Republicans for supporting the American Health Care Act, which on Friday was pulled from the House floor when it became all but certain it didn’t have the votes to pass.
Ironically, two of the members of Congress the ads thank, Reps. Barbara Comstock, R-Va.; and David Young, R-Iowa, were reportedly leaning towards voting “no” on the bill. The Washington Examiner reported earlier this week that the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with House Speaker Paul Ryan, was pulling its funding for Young in retaliation for his opposition to his party’s healthcare bill.
An AAN spokesperson reached out to the Washington Examiner and explained that the ads are part of a campaign that started two weeks ago, urging Republican lawmakers to keep their promise on repealing and replacing Obamacare.
AAN announced on March 14 a $1.5 million ad blitz targeting these lawmakers, set to air during MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and in 15 congressional districts nationwide. AAN is CLF’s sister organization and has spent more than $10 million this year promoting the health care agenda supported by Trump and House Republican leaders.
Basketball fans around the U.S. treated to prematurely-bought ads congratulating Republicans for repealing Obamacare https://t.co/XKbAYYpz1A pic.twitter.com/i8I8SBqOVE
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) March 25, 2017
The airing of the ads were originally reported by Deadspin. See them here.
