INDReporter

Cassidy, Vitter won't go after Landrieu on Obamacare

by Leslie Turk

While lots of pundits and other observers have been saying Sen. Mary Landrieu's support of the Affordable Care Act will do her in this time around, T-P columnist Robert Mann has argued it will be play a minor role. Here's why he's probably right.

Times-Picayune columnist and IND contributor Robert Mann has for months been making the case that Obamacare will play only a minor role in the 2014 U.S. Senate race between Sen. Mary Landrieu and her main Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy. Here's what Mann has to say in his latest T-P column:

Landrieu will probably never campaign on the wisdom of her vote for the legislation. But have you noticed that Cassidy hasn't launched any major attacks on her for supporting it? (He has recently aired an anti-Obamacare spot, but it strangely never mentions Landrieu's name.) If Landrieu's vote were as fatal to her reelection as many Republicans once believed, wouldn't you expect Cassidy to pound her relentlessly about it?

Republicans aren't savaging Landrieu about the ACA because they know such attacks won't work. The ACA might not be overwhelmingly popular in Louisiana (and other places), but it's becoming more widely accepted and successful. For example, in Louisiana, a clear majority opposes its repeal, preferring, instead, to fix it. That's why, in his spot, Cassidy's carefully says he wants to "replace" the law (with what is not clear).

Even Gov. Bobby Jindal, a few months ago, advised the GOP to not run the 2014 election solely on repealing Obamacare.

Mann makes a compelling argument for why Cassidy et al will have to beat Landrieu on another front. Read it here.