ObamaCare Repeal Pledge, Post Election Update
On Sunday and Monday before election day, Independent Women’s Voice (IWV) took an extra step to try to help those candidates who'd signed the Repeal Pledge who were in tough but not hopeless races.
IWV deployed 1 million phone calls across 19 races that were rated a tossup or worse, and where we believed we'd add value with our different brand and message. (We leave the easily winnable races to others :) ).
We used real doctors talking from the heart about ObamaCare, and in each district called all Independents, conservative Democrats, and low propensity (i.e., infrequently voting) Republicans to help get out the vote. Even though these were recorded calls (yuck, I know), several candidates, post election, have reported singularly positive feedback.
Backing up a minute: the Repeal Pledge in just a few weeks had garnered about 112,000 citizen signatures (and that’s a clean count, removing duplicate signatures) and 117 candidate signers; 91 of those were Republicans, with the remaining 26 being Democrats, Libertarians, and Conservatives who were long-shots. Of the Republicans:
- 37 were running for seats that were that were safe for their opponent,
- 30 were running for seats safe for themselves, and
- 4 were not candidates (3 retiring, one a Senator not up for re-election this year).
That left 20 seats where the race going down to the wire was effectively a tossup or leaned or was even likely against our pledge-signer.
We made those nearly one million calls, and our pledge signers in tough elections prevailed in 13 of those 20 tough races.
That means right now we have 44 repeal pledge signers who will be serving in the 112th Congress, and 15 of those will be freshmen. But getting more signatures is still important; both senior Republican Members and Freshmen-elect have volunteered that they want to help, precisely because they realize this is an ongoing effort, and the more signers we get, the better able they will be to accomplish our goals.
I want to thank those of you who helped spread the word about www.therepealpledge.com, and encourage you to continue doing so. Ours is the only repeal pledge that is not only focused on full repeal, without qualification, but commits Members to go further to include defunding, overriding regulations, blocking provisions, and doing whatever is necessary to slow and stop implementation of ObamaCare.
It is the repeal pledge that says you are serious, and that’s supported by numerous conservative groups, including Americans for Tax Reform, Heritage Action, Concerned Women for America, National Taxpayer’s Union, 60Plus, Eagle Forum, and Contract from America, as well as doctor’s groups like the American Association of Physicians & Surgeons and Docs4Patient Care.
The Pledge had several purposes, and while helping elect serious candidates who understand the importance this issue was key, raising the importance of repeal to a top-three issue to give us a mandate to do the hard work we have ahead was very much part of the plan.
Indeed, it seems to have worked: Rasmussen concluded that the vote outcome showed extraordinary intensity on this issue, saying “Healthcare ranks just behind the economy in important issues facing the United States. Seventy-nine percent (79%) now say that health care is a Very Important issue for Americans – this is the highest importance rating that we have seen for healthcare since we started tracking it a year ago in August.”
Pat Caddell is particularly vindicating of our thesis: “The economy was, of course important, but these results point to health care being a decisive issue. …On healthcare repeal more than 1/3 of Democrats who want repeal voted Republican for Congress- a significant partisan defection. Most astounding were Independents who want repeal acting like partisan Reps- favoring the GOP candidates by 78 POINTS!.”
And it was gratifying to hear Sen. McConnell speak at Heritage last week, delivering what's been exactly our message.
Understand, though: we’re not stopping. We can do this. Just as we ran our ad, “Repeal”, before the election, our new ad, “Mandate” starts airing next week in DC on Morning Joe and elsewhere to remind our Representatives what we expect.
We’ve also created a new resource – a portal website that isn’t about promoting any one group, but promoting the entire effort: www.SavingOurHealthCare.org. Please visit, sign up for updates (we only send them when there’s something real and worthy of attention – all of us have inboxes that are too full), and share your suggestions for additional events or organizations that should be listed. SOHC is laid out on the blueprint of a hospital, and each wing links you to all the important events (you can look them up by state or zip code) and actions being taken, as well as to resources useful to anyone who wants to stay current on the fight against ObamaCare and wants to know what’s being done and how to help, including all federal legislation and state efforts.
We have a window before full implementation, we have 23 Senators who are going to get nervous about re-election, and we have a public that has spoken about as clearly as it's possible to speak. Onward!
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Comments :
Aug '10
Re: ObamaCare Repeal Pledge, Post Election Update
This is a really good idea. I especially like the word pledge, which carries the connotation that it's like getting off of alcohol. We've been on a spending binge that resembles addiction in every significant way, and will destroy us with certainty.
May '10
Re: ObamaCare Repeal Pledge, Post Election Update
I'd be fine with repeal- but there is a legitimate debate over the most productive tactics to deal with the monstrosity of a law. By all means, pass repeals and let them be stalled in the Senate or vetoed. As long as we don't lose focus on the long term need to remove all of the teeth from implementation.
Jul '10
Re: ObamaCare Repeal Pledge, Post Election Update
Now that's the ticket. Big kid analysis is the way to go.
To wit: Who is persuadable and how do I manage it?
The fact of the matter is, huge swathes of resources are wasted every cycle by (seemingly knowledgeable) folks pitching the unsympathetic and bucking up all-but-guaranteed supporters.