Democrats' plans to tie the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the battle over health care reform will be obvious to Georgians Monday when the Democratic National Committee launches an ad accusing President Donald Trump of rushing the nomination to end health care protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
The ad features a woman named Samantha, who says that she, her husband, and her young daughter all have pre-existing health conditions and have all had COVID-19 since the pandemic arrived in the U.S. in March.
“Trump is rushing through a Supreme Court nominee to ... strip away care from millions of Americans and end pre-existing condition protections,” Samantha says in the ad.
In a Saturday Rose Garden announcement, Trump named Barrett as his choice to fill the high court vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. If confirmed, Barrett would be the fifth female justice on the court.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler was in the Rose Garden for the president’s announcement and immediately signaled her support for the 48-year-old federal Appeals Court judge. “Amy Coney Barrett will be a FANTASTIC Supreme Court Justice, and I look forward to supporting her nomination.” Loeffler said in a Tweet after the announcement.
Sen. David Perdue said in a statement Saturday that Barrett is “an outstanding choice to serve on our nation’s highest court.”
Perdue and Loeffler will likely be able to vote on Barrett’s nomination quickly. Senate Republicans have signaled their plans to hold hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee and a vote by the full Senate to fill the vacancy before the November 3rd election.
If confirmed, Barrett would likely join the court just before the Nov. 10 oral arguments for Texas v. California, a challenge from Republican state attorneys general to the Affordable Care Act.
On Sunday, former Vice President Joe Biden also tied Barrett’s nomination to the future of health care in the United States.
“(Republicans) see an opportunity to overturn the Affordable Care Act on their way out the door,” Biden said in remarks in Delaware. “The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court right now, as I speak, to eliminate the entire Affordable Care Act.”
Barrett’s nomination was also a major topic on the campaign trail this weekend, with Republicans calling it a victory for conservatives and Democrats warning of what’s to come, especially for health insurance protections, should she be confirmed.
The DNC ad will run on Metro Atlanta cable stations starting Monday and is part of a multi-state ad buy. Democrats described the Atlanta commercial as a “six-figure” buy.
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