Charlie Bass (R-NH) Job Approval-- 29%... And Falling

No clown make-up needed for Charlie Bass

I hope you enjoyed the New Hampshire ad we ran yesterday about Charlie Bass voting with Paul Ryan to kill Medicare. Bass freaked out completely-- and demanded WMUR, the New Hampshire TV station DFA and the PCCC are running it on, stop broadcasting it-- just like they healthcare hypocrite Leonard Lance did when Blue America started running radio ads about him a few months ago. Bass and the GOP claim the ad is false and that Ryan's bill doesn't end Medicare-- since they still call the inadequate voucher program they're replacing Medicare with "Medicare."

WMUR's parent company is Comcast and they usually agree to whatever Republicans demand. As Greg Sargent pointed out at the Washington Post, "The GOP demand that Comcast Boston yank may give progressives a chance to draw that line-- but if the ad does get pulled it could become tougher for Dems to amplify the claim going forward. This is an important test case, and it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out."

Adam Green, co-founder of the PCCC, which made and ran the ad, told us "It's awesome that Republicans freak out when held accountable for their vote to end Medicare. As Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman said, 'that's just what it is. If you replace a system that actually pays seniors’ medical bills with an entirely different system, one that gives seniors vouchers that won’t be enough to buy adequate insurance, you’ve ended Medicare. Calling the new program "Medicare" doesn’t change that fact.' Hear hear. No carping, complaining, or whining from national Republicans will change the fact that they voted to end Medicare -- and New Hampshire TV stations agree." So far no one has pulled the ad off the air and Comcast's attorneys have rejected Bass' and the NRCC's assertions that the ad is false. I suspect that by making a big stink, all Bass did was draw more attention to the ad, which is now a legitimate news story for other stations.

This is all very dangerous territory for Bass, since voters in New Hampshire are already turning sour on the GOP and his polling numbers look very bad for what appears to be a likely second rejection shaping up by his constituents.

Just 29 percent of likely voters in New Hampshire’s 2nd district approve of Bass’ job performance, according to a survey conducted May 31 and June 1 by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling on behalf of Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. The margin of error for the poll, obtained by Roll Call for an early look, was 4.2 points.

When asked about Medicare, 2nd district voters offered a similar sentiment as those of New York’s 26th district, who gave now-Rep. Kathy Hochul (D) an upset victory in last month’s special election. She won at least in part because her Republican opponent supported Medicare cuts in the House Republican budget plan written by Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (Wis.).

Sixty percent of New Hampshire respondents said they oppose cutting Medicare. And 69 percent said they support raising federal taxes on those with incomes over $250,000 a year “to save programs like Social Security and Medicare from cuts."

Even before the new polling was released, it was clear Bass’ re-election effort would be no cakewalk.

Anyone think Bass will invite Paul Ryan into New Hampshire to campaign for him? No? In honor of Bass' whining, here's the ad again: