Worried Senators Press Obama on Health Law - After Tuesday Election Results, Democrats Fear Political Toll From Affordable Care Act Woes

From The Wall Street Journal:

Democratic senators took their complaints about the troubled launch of the federal health law directly to the White House Wednesday, as the surprisingly close governor's race in Virginia prompted some in the party to warn that they would face voter backlash next year if the problems weren't fixed.

Republicans and a number of Democratic officials say distaste for the health law aided Ken Cuccinelli, the losing GOP candidate in Virginia, who focused heavily on the health law in the campaign's final weeks. Polls for weeks had longtime Democratic fundraiser Terry McAuliffe breezing to an easy victory, but he won Tuesday by less than three percentage points.

 

The Virginia results also fueled a debate among Republicans about strategy for the next election. Some pointed to GOP Gov. Chris Christie's easy re-election in New Jersey to argue that his inclusive tone offered a winning model. But conservatives said the apparent potency of the health-law issue argued for the party to sharpen its ideological edges.

 

Worries run deep in Democratic circles that persistent problems with the health-law rollout could give a boost to Republican candidates, especially if the problems drag into next year. As evidence, both sides point to Virginia, where the merits and flaws of the law played a central role in the governor's race.

Mr. Cuccinelli had gained prominence as the first state attorney general to file suit to overturn the 2010 health law. In his concession speech Tuesday night, he said that unease over the law had made the race close, even as he faced a huge funding gap in the final weeks.

 

Virginia exit polls found that a majority of Virginia voters opposed the health-care law, and that Mr. Cuccinelli performed strongly among those voters.

 

Responding to voter concerns, a number of Senate Democrats have called on the White House to extend the deadline by which people must obtain health coverage to avoid a tax penalty. Others are pushing for legislation aimed at allowing people to keep insurance plans that are slated to be canceled next year.