Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT)
If you need proof of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's contention that the radical Republican Medicare plan will be key for Democrats in the 2012 election, look no further than Denny Rehberg, (R-MT)
one of the four House Republicans to vote against the Ryan budget, and the GOP's candidate against Sen. Jon Tester in 2012.
GOP Rep. Denny Rehberg of Montana, a second No vote, was quoted this way by the Great Falls Tribune: “there are still too many unanswered questions with regard to Medicare reform, and I simply won’t support any plan until I know for a fact that Montana’s seniors will be protected.”Rehberg’s state has a disproportionately large senior population.
No question, the GOP was able to maintain an extraordinary level of unity behind Ryan’s plan, and it’s unclear whether that unity will fracture once negotiations between the parties get under way in earnest. But it’s certainly interesting that a handful of Republicans have now asked whether the Dem critique of the proposal has something to it, and this will be a dynamic worth tracking when start making good on their vow to use the Ryan proposal to campaign hard against vulnerable GOP incumbents.
There are 235 Republican "yes" votes Democrats can use against them next year, and quite a few of those will be extremely vulnerable to Dem attacks. Which is precisely why Rehberg voted as he did: he's not going to give the Tester campaign that issue wit Montana seniors. It also provides ample evidence that this is a smart strategy for Dems. Provided they keep Medicare—and Social Security—strong.