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Oops ... PAC Runs TV Ads Thanking Some Republicans for Repealing Obamacare

Brakkton Booker
NPR
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YouTube screenshot of ad by American Action Network. The conservative-leaning advocacy group urged viewers to call their member of Congress to thank them for keeping their "promise and replacing the Affordable Care Act with a better health care you deserve." (YouTube)

Some basketball viewers on Friday night were subjected to television commercials that were guilty of peddling some alternative facts.

That's because in some markets with conservative-leaning districts, commercials aired praising some Republican House members for their efforts in repealing the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.

The problem of course is that repeal effort, which many thought would be a slam dunk, was abandoned because the House Republicans didn't have enough support from within their own ranks.

In the generic ads, the American Action Network, a conservative-leaning advocacy group, urged viewers to call their member of Congress to thank them for keeping their "promise and replacing the Affordable Care Act with a better health care you deserve."

According to the sports and culture website Deadspin, at least four of these ads ran Friday thanking Reps. Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Will Hurd (R-TX), David Valadao (R-CA), David Young (R-IA).

Sponsored

As of Saturday, another eight ads were still on the American Action Network's YouTube page praising Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Rod Blum (R-IA), Greg Walden (R-OR), Don Bacon (R-NE), Kevin Brady (R-TX), Mike Coffman (R-CO) and Carlos Curbelo (R-FL).

YouTube screenshot of ad by American Action Network. The conservative-leaning advocacy group urged viewers to call their member of Congress to thank them for keeping their "promise and replacing the Affordable Care Act with a better health care you deserve."
YouTube screenshot of ad by American Action Network. The conservative-leaning advocacy group urged viewers to call their member of Congress to thank them for keeping their "promise and replacing the Affordable Care Act with a better health care you deserve." (YouTube)

The premature ad buy was supposed to coincide with the long-awaited victory lap Washington Republicans campaigned on -- that once they controlled both houses of Congress and the White House, Obamacare would be tossed out.

Instead, in the midst of March Madness, yet another upset took place. This one took place in the halls of Congress, when Speaker Ryan told reporters Friday:

"I don't know what else to say other than Obamacare is the law of the land. It's going to remain the law of the land."

As NPR has reported, Speaker Ryan called the defeat a "learning experience."

President Trump and House Republicans are now expected to turn their attention to another difficult overhaul -- taxes.

Copyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

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