Once-vulnerable Dem doubles down on healthcare reform

“I’m unapologetic about it,” he told The Hill. “I am running on it. I am proud of my vote for the law.”

Republicans might not target Connolly this year because of changes to his district. Dem-friendly lines from redistricting, plus dramatically higher voter turnout from the presidential race, all but guarantee him victory.

This gives the congressman a chance to defend healthcare reform unequivocally and without the political risk facing some other Democrats.

Connolly said that he doesn’t doubt that the issue remains divisive in his district.

“I try to address concerns as reasonably as I can,” he said, “but I also try to put to rest the egregious misstatements of fact that have characterized the debate.

“Everything from ‘death panels’ to ‘government takeover of healthcare’ to ‘costs will go through the roof’ — all of that is false.”

In response, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) blasted Connolly for “taking victory laps” with the law. 

“Virginia families are suffering under crushing taxes and Medicare cuts thanks to ‘ObamaCare,’ ” said NRCC spokesman Nat Sillin. “The only way to stop ‘ObamaCare’ is to defeat Democrats including Connolly who have defended it at every turn.”

Retired Army Col. Chris Perkins, Connolly’s GOP challenger, added that congressman is “playing his chosen role as the defender of a flawed policy” but at constituents’ expense.

Both parties are hoping to leverage healthcare as an issue before November.

The Supreme Court upheld the vast majority of the law as constitutional on June 28 — a blow for Republicans, who responded by vowing to sweep federal elections and the pursue repeal that way.

Democrats, meanwhile, argue that the GOP is myopically focused on healthcare at the expense of other national problems.

The party is increasingly coalescing around this message, with the exception of its centrist wing. Healthcare remains a volatile issue for Blue Dog Democrats, evidenced by the House’s second repeal vote, which received support from five — two more than in the original repeal vote.

Connolly said that the party has a better chance this cycle to counter misinformation about the law this cycle.

He argued that his own focus on healthcare is no departure from 2010, when Republican businessman Keith Fimian nearly took his seat.

“I haven’t changed one bit,” Connolly said. “I debated healthcare and advocated for it under harder circumstances in 2010. I have never missed an opportunity to debate it in townhall meetings or with constituents.”

Connolly also predicted that Obama would win Virginia in 2012, benefiting from the same growing minority population that could help his own election.

“Polls show the president is consistently holding his own here, in a state that historically you would never expect to be competitive,” he said. “It’s a remarkable achievement and shows just how much Virginia has changed.”