CHARLOTTE, N.C. The Republicans call them the #ReplaceObamacareDemocrats. <\/p>\n
Here in Charlotte, they might be called the No-Show Health Care Caucus. <\/p>\n
They are 10 Democrats running for Congress whom the National Republican Campaign Committee has identified as particularly vulnerable on President Barack Obamas health care reform law. <\/p>\n
So vulnerable that they opted to stay home and campaign this week rather than come to their partys convention. <\/p>\n
So vulnerable that most of them wouldnt even talk about the health care law by phone. <\/p>\n
One of the Democrats California Rep. John Garamendi was at least willing to speak up for the law long-distance. Im not backing away from it. This is an issue I want to talk about, and do talk about, he said by telephone from his northern California district. Hes home, he says, because redistricting has forced him into a tough and expensive reelection race. <\/p>\n
The rest, though, are keeping their silence. <\/p>\n
Their absence from the convention is a counterpoint to the messaging thats likely to come out of Charlotte, where at least some of the speakers are expected to remind viewers of the popular parts of the law and hit Republicans for trying to take them away. It may also be a commentary on the declining relevance of the huge national political gatherings: The voters arent in Charlotte, either. <\/p>\n
Garamendi and the other nine Democrats identified by the NRCC dont have all that much in common, other than the fact that the House Republicans want to beat them and think antipathy to the health care law in these districts can help woo voters and raise money. <\/p>\n
Heres the deal: These 10 Democrats are against the full repeal of Obamacare, an NRCC website says. In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision, Republicans must retire each of them. But we need your help. Even $3 will go a long way. The ReplaceObamacareDemocrats site also promises matching funds, up to $5,000 per candidate in these contested races.NRCC spokesman Paul Lindsay said television ads have gone up against three of them so far. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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