Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), the GOP nominee for President Obama’s former Senate seat, is refusing to say whether he would work to repeal the health care bill — after he’d previously pledged to do just that.
The Associated Press reports: “Kirk was asked repeatedly Tuesday whether he wants the legislation repealed. He would only say that he opposes the new taxes and Medicare cuts to pay for it.”
“I voted against it, but we lost,” Kirk said, NBC Chicago reports. “My job is to explain how this will affect voters.”
Back in January, when he was still competing in the Republican primary, Kirk signed the Club For Growth pledge to repeal the bill if it were to pass. Two weeks ago, before the bill was about to pass, Kirk declared strongly: “And so, as your senator, I would lead the effort, if it passes, to repeal this bill.”
Last week, Kirk was targeted by a Democratic National Committee radio ad, which attacked him for wanting to repeal the bill. The ad focused on the popular elements of the bill: “Republican Mark Kirk voted against ending discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, against lowering drug costs for seniors, against reining in premiums and against tax credits for small businesses. Now Mark Kirk is vowing to repeal reform - and put the insurance industry back in charge of your health care.”
The Kirk campaign has not returned TPMDC’s request for comment.
Late Update: A Club For Growth spokesman tells us that Kirk has “signed the pledge.”
“I don’t really have any other comment than that,” he said.
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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