Contraception

GOP Struggles To Contain Birth Control Fallout

Brian Beutler and Sahil Kapur | March 1, 2012, 5:45AM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) conducts a news conference along with fellow GOP members on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on November 30, 2011.

Top Republicans are working overtime to mask palpable concern within their party over a Thursday Senate vote to roll back an Obama administration rule requiring most employers to provide workers with contraceptive coverage in their health benefits.

Yet despite a growing sense that the GOP has veered into politically dangerous territory, a full-scale retreat would embarrass the party, and alienate a powerful segment of its conservative base. And that's left Republicans little choice but to press ahead, illustrating the dangers they'll face if election year politicking turns further from the economy toward culture war fights that voters thought were settled decades ago.

The measure in question was authored by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) -- a member of the GOP's leadership team -- and would allow employers who provide health benefits to deny coverage of particular services -- including contraception -- for reasons of conscience. Blunt introduced the legislation at the height of the contretemps over the Obama administration's contraception rule, and Republicans pushed hard to secure a vote for it as an amendment to an unrelated transportation bill. But according to a top Democratic aide briefed on negotiations between Republican and Democratic leaders, something changed in recent days -- and in the end Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) took it upon himself to force the issue.

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Medicare

GOP Rep Attacks Democrats For Supporting Medicare Cuts She Just Voted For

Brian Beutler | May 24, 2011, 11:26AM

Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY)

Right next door to NY-26, a GOP freshman is on the defensive over her vote for the House GOP budget and its plan to slash and privatize Medicare.

Rep. Ann Marie-Buerkle (NY-25) is sending flyers to her constituents arguing that phasing out traditional Medicare and replacing it with a program of subsidized private insurance is not privatization. "The plan before Congress will not privatize Medicare or turn it into a "voucher" system," she claims. And she takes a swipe at Democrats for voting for deep Medicare cuts as part of the health care reform law, even though she just voted to maintain those same cuts.

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2010 elections

Dems Maffei And Ortiz Concede House Races

Eric Kleefeld | November 23, 2010, 5:16PM

Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY) and Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-TX)

Two Democratic Congressman -- one old, and one new -- have conceded defeat to their challengers in this year's Republican wave.

In Texas's 27th District, Rep. Solomon Ortiz conceded last night to Republican challenger Blake Farenthold. Ortiz had previously demanded a recount, but only picked up about 150 votes -- still losing to Farenthold by about 650 votes. Ortiz was first elected all the way back in 1982. The district was carried by Barack Obama in 2008, by a margin of 53%-46%, but previously voted for George W. Bush by 55%-45% in 2004.

In New York's 25th District, Democratic freshman Rep. Dan Maffei has conceded to Republican Ann Marie Buerkle, by a margin of less than 600 votes. Maffei was first elected in 2008, picking up an open Republican-held seat after he'd narrowly lost a bid in 2006. The district voted 56%-43% for Barack Obama in 2008, and 50%-48% for John Kerry in 2004.

This brings the latest tally of Republican gains in the election to 63 seats.