CITIZENS FOR BETTER MEDICARE: New Ad Blitz Expanded
The drug industry-backed Citizens for Better Medicare is expanding its advertising blitz to air in 18 House districts, up from the five districts the group announced last week, CongressDaily reports. The group, which is pushing for a prescription drug benefit made available to seniors through the private sector, will unleash a $5 million television campaign to support legislators who oppose Democratic proposals that would add a drug benefit directly under Medicare. The ad's beneficiaries mostly are GOP representatives, who themselves have been under attack by an AFL-CIO ad campaign airing in favor of the Democrats' drug plan. The Citizens for Better Medicare ads will run through the end of September in the districts of the following lawmakers: Republican Reps. Charles Bass (N.H.), Jay Dickey (Ark.), Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), Robin Hayes (N.C.), Walter Jones (N.C.), Steve Kuykendall (Calif.), James Rogan (Calif.), George Nethercutt (Wash.), Clay Shaw (Fla.), Tom Tancredo (Colo.), Edward Whitfield (Ky.) and Heather Wilson (N.M.). The ads also will air in the district of Democratic Rep. Ralph Hall (Texas), who supported a GOP measure utilizing private industry to provide prescription drug benefits to seniors (Stone, 9/12).
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