Democrats in battleground districts and states are beginning to capitalize on successful Biden administration policies as they seek to define Democratic accomplishments before their competition does.
Some are stressing Biden's bipartisan wins while others are emphasizing the fact that Republicans had nothing to do with the material good voters are now experiencing.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, for instance, represents Ohio's 9th District and recently tweeted out news that $35 Insulin was coming on the market for Medicare recipients—pricing Democrats pushed through last year as part of the Inflation Reduction Act on a party-line vote.
Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, a top target for Senate Republicans, took a different tack, playing up the bipartisan nature of Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure bill.
Tester noted the funding would create jobs; increase access to work, school, and telehealth; and make Montanans competitive "anywhere in the world."
“As a third-generation farmer from Northcentral Montana, I know firsthand how important high speed internet access is to our rural communities and growing economy,” Tester said in a press release.
Tester also announced Wednesday that he had secured $7 million in the 2023 government funding bill to expand Glacier Park International Airport. According to Tester's press release, the funding expands on about $144 million the senator already secured through President Joe Biden's infrastructure law, to expand some 69 airports across the state.
Another GOP target, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, also touted internet investments Wednesday, tweeting, "It’s time every Ohioan had access to high-speed internet. We’re getting things done for Ohio."
Ohio, a state Trump won by 8 points, is poised to receive nearly $794 million to make high-speed internet accessible to some 183,000 Buckeye households, according to local Youngstown TV station WKBN.
The outlet began the article, "Finally, communities that are usually ignored by those in Washington are getting another look after new funding became available to get their internet up to speed, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown said Tuesday."
Brown and Tester’s internet push piggybacks off Biden's announcement last week of his administration's $40 billion effort to "connect everyone in America" to high-speed internet by 2030.
One Democrat hoping to join the Senate also took his shot at promoting Biden administration investments he helped secure.
"Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, starting today Medicare patients’ insulin is capped at $35/month - saving seniors in our state more than $500/year," tweeted Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who is making a bid for Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's seat.
"Next, we need to expand the cap to cover all Arizonans," Gallego added, a measure Biden has been calling on Congress to pass but stands no chance if Republicans control either chamber.
The unique approaches of different Democrats appealing to varying audiences give a small sense of the panoply of tools Democratic candidates can use to sell their candidacies in the 2024 election.
Republished with permission from Daily Kos.
