"Health vote pits Democrat vs. Democrat"

Alex Isenstadt (Politico):

Democrats who thought a vote against the sweeping health care package would inoculate them from political attack are facing serious blowback from angry constituents and interest groups on the left—fierce opposition that could prove as consequential as anything Republicans could have thrown at them.

For some of 39 House Democrats who opposed the bill, there are protests outside their offices and promises of retribution. For others, there are attempts to shut off their campaign money spigot. Still more are about to get drilled in a television ad campaign paid for by Democratic donors.

What they’ve all discovered is that there’s no safe harbor when it comes to the $1.2 trillion measure that the House passed Saturday

Darcy Burner, executive director of the American Progressive Caucus Policy Foundation, said that the anger over the vote was a natural outgrowth of the value liberals have placed on the health care push.

“I think, for the most part, the Democrats who voted ‘no’ on the health bill and who are getting heat deserve it,” said Burner.

One of those Democrats is Rep. Jim Matheson, who represents a solidly Republican district in Utah. Despite the difficult nature of his district, local Democrats responded with indignation upon hearing of his vote.

Democratic state Sen. Scott McCoy immediately floated the idea on his Facebook page of launching a primary campaign against the five-term incumbent.

On Tuesday, McCoy took a step back and told POLITICO he wasn’t interested in a run. But he made little secret of what he thought of Matheson’s vote, saying, “I think there [is] a sense of frustration and disappointment out there.”

“There are a number of people in Jim’s district who are disappointed,” he added.

Veteran Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also found himself under fire Monday for his ‘no’ vote as the group Grassroots Organizing held a protest outside his Jefferson City office.

“The man has been in Congress for 32 years,” said Robin Acree, the group’s executive director. “I never thought I’d be arguing with people who for years and years and years campaigned on doing the right thing.”

In central Florida, first-term Democratic Rep. Suzanne Kosmas was branded a “traitor” on signs at a protest Sunday that attracted about 60 people. Late last month, a group called the Alliance for Retired Americans staged a rally at one Kosmas’s district offices—an effort the group plans to repeat again this week.

“She was quite deceptive,” said Tony Fransetta, president of the organization’s Florida chapter. “It was kind of like a slap in the face from someone you’d expect to be a friend.”

“We’re not going to take it sitting down,” he said. “There will be a price extracted from what she did.”

In Washington state, state and local party officials also made clear that they were unhappy with the course that Rep. Brian Baird pursued.

“The Washington state Democratic Party expects all of the members of our congressional delegation to support the President and Speaker Pelosi. And vote for this bill,” Washington state Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz told local reporters after Baird announced last week that he wouldn’t be supporting the package.

A delegation from Vancouver’s Clark County Democratic Central Committee on Monday requested a meeting with Baird in the district to encourage him to vote yes on the final version of the Health Care Reform bill.

Chris Bassett, a Vancouver-based Democratic activist who writes a blog about Clark County politics, said the congressman had damaged his standing within the party.

“Brian’s really moving the wrong way,” he said. “A lot of Democrats are going to sit on their hands in 2010.”

“This, for a lot of folks like myself frankly, is the last straw,” Bassett said.

Much of the backlash is emanating from the progressive online community, where on Monday Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas urged fellow netroots activists to “ditch the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee], ” arguing that the party committee would be committed to protecting incumbent Democrats who voted against the bill.

“So here's the bottom line—skip any donations to the DCCC. Their first priority is incumbent retention, and they're (necessarily) issue agnostic. They'll be dumping millions into defending these seats. Instead, give to those elected officials who best reflect your values,” wrote Moulitsas.

One specific target of netroots anger is Rep. Larry Kissell, the first-term North Carolina congressman who, activists are quick to point out, was a favorite of the liberal blogosphere in his failed 2006 House bid.

On Friday, after Kissell announced he would vote against the bill, Chris Bowers of the prominent liberal blog Open Left sent an e-mail to Kissell donors urging them to ask the freshman for their money back.

“Right now, Democrats do not have the votes to pass this bill, and Congressman Larry Kissell has merged as a potential vote against reform,” Bowers wrote. “Tell the campaign that, if Congressman Kissell votes against health care reform this weekend, you will be calling again on Monday to ask for your money back.”

Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee was equally direct.

“Folks like Larry Kissell and [Democratic] Rep. Heath Shuler emanate weakness. Both first won their seats with netroots money, both won by double digits in 2008, both have constituents that desperately need health care reform, and neither has the self-confidence to explain a vote for health care reform to voters?” he said. “Weak sauce. Luckily, we know they won't fight back when we beat them up in their district.”

That won’t be the only Democrat-on-Democrat violence that results from the vote.

Other liberal groups are preparing to bring in the heavy artillery, launching advertising campaigns targeting the Democrats for their ‘no’ votes. MoveOn.org has announced that it was launching a $500,000 TV campaign targeting six Democratic dissenters. On Tuesday, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee announced the launch of a “Hit the Blue Dogs” online ad campaign targeting 10 Democrats.

MoveOn.org Executive Director Justin Ruben said his organization—in addition to airing “thank you” ads at the Democrats in competitive and marginal districts who took a tough vote in favor of the bill—planned to hold rallies this week in front of offices of Democrat and Republican members who voted against the bill.

Ruben said the Democratic votes against the bill represented a slap-in-the-face to activists, noting that the loss of their liberal bases could spell political peril.

“For a lot of members, this was the most important House vote in a generation,” said Ruben. “Many of these folks are people our members worked hard to elect and there is a tremendous feeling of betrayal.”

“I think they will pay a real price from the base if they continue to take this position,” he said.

Howie P.S.: H/t to Darryl, who says

"Attention Senators…There is an important lesson to be learned from the lower house of your august body..."