One Democrat in New Jersey's United States Senate special election is embracing his work on Obamacare, while a Republican candidate pushes her alternative to the health care law, both in new ads released less than a week before the primary.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D) unveiled on Wednesday a new television commercial, his third, touting his role in writing the health care reform law. Pallone has established himself as the main challenger to Newark Mayor Cory Booker in the four-way Democratic primary, but continues to trail the popular mayor by 37 points, according to a new poll released Wednesday. Rep. Rush Holt and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver trail Pallone in the poll.
Pallone stresses that he is the "only one" in the Democratic primary to have worked on Obamacare, environmental issues and to be endorsed by the family of the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D), whose June death led to the special election. Pallone, a former health subcommittee chairman, has repeatedly stressed his work on Obamacare and the Lautenberg endorsement during the race.
At a debate Monday night, however, Holt tried to claim part of the Obamacare mantle, noting that he serves on another congressional health subcommittee that worked on parts of the plan. During the debate, Holt said a single-payer option for health care is needed to update the law.
In the Republican primary, physician Alieta Eck unveiled a new radio ad Wednesday where she said she wants to deliver a new plan to replace the current health care law. Eck, who operates a health care clinic in Somerset County, did not offer specifics in the ad but said her plan is "better than Obamacare."
In an interview with The Huffington Post, Eck said it involves raising insurance deductibles so that more routine procedures would be paid for with cash, which she said would reduce health care costs. She also said that she wants to see more doctors volunteering their time to assist patients who cannot afford care.
Eck is facing off Tuesday against former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan. A new poll shows Lonegan leading Eck 74 to 10 among GOP voters.
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