The National Republican Congressional Committee is targeting Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna) for his support of the Affordable Care Act as part of a national Twitter campaign.  The NRCC is targeting 11 incumbent Democrats with the ads.  

All of those targeted by the ads are on their list of 2018 targeted races. 

“Instead of repealing Obamacare and reforming our failed healthcare system, these out-of-touch members cling to the status quo,” NRCC Communications Director Matt Gorman said in the release.  

These sorts of ad buys are usually more about generating earned media and firing up supporters early in the campaign cycle.  The choice to target the ACA shows that these ads are more focused at consolidating Republicans. The latest F&M poll showed that 49% of Pennsylvanians said that the healthcare system has improved under the ACA.  This fits as well with the reason for targeting Cartwright’s district, which Trump won by 10.7 points and Cartwright won by 7.6 points.

The messaging could be a part of the NRCC trying to recapture the momentum they used to have on the ACA.  Supporters of the ACA have had the momentum in recent months as public support has moved in their favor.

Cartwright though does seem to have the support of most of his constituents when it comes to the ACA, based on his recent town hall.

“The Affordable Care Act has been a boon to rural hospitals, which are very important to my district,” Cartwright said in an earlier interview with PoliticsPA.  

“I am a supporter of the Affordable Care Act, but never said it was perfect.  I expect to be tinkering with it as long as I am in Congress.”