Latest news with #MaeveCoyle
The Hill
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Senate Democrats launch radio ad attacking GOP over cuts to rural radio funding
The Senate Democrats' campaign arm is launching a new radio ad Wednesday attacking Republicans for slashing funding for rural radio stations as a part of more than $1 billion Republicans made in cuts to public broadcasting in their recissions package. 'Thank you for listening to your local radio station. But stations like these might not be around for long,' a narrator says in the 30-second ad, which was first shared with The Hill. 'Last month in D.C., Republican Senators cut radio funding, voting to end weather alerts, community news and our way to stay connected,' the narrator continued. 'Rural America relies on radio. But Republican politicians left us behind.' They added, 'We can't trust them to fight for us.' The ads are being aired in recognition of National Radio Day, and they're expected to run in rural stations in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas, all of which Senate Democrats are eyeing as potential pick-up opportunities next year. 'Rural communities rely on local radio to stay connected on everything from local news to lifesaving alerts about severe weather — but Republican Senators left them behind,' Maeve Coyle, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), said in a statement. 'Republican senators will be forced to explain to their constituents why they're robbing the programs that support their communities in order to pay for a giveaway to billionaires,' she added. President Trump signed a recissions package last month, which rescinds around $9 billion Congress had previously approved for funding for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB), which helps fund NPR and PBS and its affiliates, and global aid programs. CPB is contending with more than $1 billion in cuts alone. Federal funding makes up a smaller percentage of the money NPR and PBS rely on, but rural stations have already warned it will impact them more severely since it makes up a higher proportion of their overall funding. Republicans have attacked NPR and PBS, arguing they're liberally biased and their programs push 'radical left positions,' which its leaders have pushed back on. Contending with the cuts, the CPB announced it would begin to shut down, with its president Patricia Harrison saying in a statement 'we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations.'
The Hill
08-07-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Senate Democrats' campaign arm rolls out ad campaign post-GOP bill hitting Republicans over Medicaid cuts
The Senate Democrats' campaign arm is rolling out a new digital ad campaign attacking Republicans over Medicaid cuts included in President Trump's sweeping policy legislation that he signed into law last week. The 30-second ad, called 'Lifelines' and first shared with The Hill, includes snippets of news anchors talking about the consequences of the Trump megabill's Medicaid provisions in states like Michigan and Georgia. An analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that 12 million low-income people in the U.S. would lose their health insurance by 2034. '200,000 Georgians could lose Medicaid coverage or private insurance,' one anchor says in a clip featured in the ad. 'In Michigan, rural hospitals could see their doors close,' an anchor in another clip featured in the ad says. The ads will run on connected TV channels including NBC, Roku, Hulu, Vizio and Tubi; they're expected to air in Georgia, North Carolina, Maine, Michigan, Texas, Alaska, Iowa, and Ohio – the states will see the most competitive Senate races next year. The ads underscore how Democrats are using the Medicaid provisions from Republicans' major policy legislation as a key attack line ahead of the 2026 midterms. The move in many ways mirrors how Democrats used Republicans' attempt to get rid of the Affordable Care Act as a focal point of their messaging during the 2018 cycle. Meanwhile, Republicans have leaned into other aspects of their policy bill, touting it as 'the largest tax cut in American history.' It also includes some of Trump's signature campaign promises from his 2024 run, including no taxes on tips. But Democrats believe their messaging on health care access will be the real persuader next year. 'Senate Republicans just passed their toxic plan that rips health care away from millions of Americans and spikes costs for their hardworking constituents, all so they can pay for a tax giveaway for billionaires,' Maeve Coyle, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), said in a statement. 'Backlash is growing stronger every day against Senate Republicans and their devastating agenda, and voters will hold them accountable in 2026.' Democrats face an uphill battle in retaking the Senate majority next year, with Republicans holding a 53-47 edge. The party, for one, needs to defend Sen. Jon Ossoff's (D-Ga.) seat in Georgia while also keeping retiring Sen. Gary Peters' (D-Mich.) seat. Yet, the party has some chances to score a potential upset. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) recently announced he would not be seeking reelection, and a nasty GOP primary between Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton could offer an unusual opening for Democrats in the Lone Star State.
