Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) is another Democrat running for re-election who is not running away from Obamacare. How she's running on it is really smart, too, couching it in terms of economic populism. Here she is
explaining to Greg Sargent how she's going to put her Republican challenger on the defensive on health care.
[I]n an interview today, Landrieu vowed to campaign aggressively against GOP foe Bill Cassidy’s opposition to the Medicaid expansion in the state, offered a spirited defense of the law—while acknowledging it has some problems—and even insisted he'd be at a "disadvantage" over the issue. […]
"That would be a real setback for the people of Louisiana, many of whom are working 30, 40, 50 hours a week but find themselves caught in the Jindal gap because the state refuses to expand health care options to the working poor at little to no expense," Landrieu told me, referring to Governor Bobby Jindal’s opposition to the expansion.
"This issue is not going away—it will become an issue in the 2015 governor's race," she added. "Cassidy has wrapped himself up with Jindal. The question is whether people who work full time or part time in the U.S. should have access to quality and affordable health care." […]
"I think the benefits that people have received are worth fighting for," Landrieu continued, citing an end to discrimination against preexisting conditions and extended coverage for young adults on parents' plans. "I think Bill Cassidy is going to be at a distinct disadvantage. He has insurance, but he's also denying it to the 242,000 people who fall into the Jindal gap. He also wants to take coverage away from tens of thousands who have gotten it for the first time."
That's exactly the message voters need to hear, and it's the kind of message that can mobilize the Democratic voters that we need to turn out in a midterm, the ones who often stay at home.
There are two vulnerable red state senators who are up this cycle who are unapologetic about supporting a law that is helping people. Recall the ad supporting Alaska's Mark Begich that touts the very good stuff that the law is doing to save people's lives.
These two red state Democrats are showing that there's every reason for Democrats to go on offense on Obamacare and make Republicans answer for why they're so eager to keep their constituents from getting health care.