This morning, The POLITICO looks at how Democrats who opposed Obamacare in the House fared in their reelection effort. According to exit polling, Obamacare was the second most important issue to voters and about half wanted the law repealed.
Voting against the health care law may have saved a few moderate House Democrats who managed to survive an overwhelming Republican wave Tuesday night.
Reps. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), Larry Kissell (D-N.C.), Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) and Mike Ross (D-Ark.) are among the 11 Democrats who opposed the bill and survived in a midterm election in which voters identified health care as their second most important issue.
But voting no didn't save everyone. More than half of the 34 Democrats who bucked their party in March still lost their races Tuesday night.
Back in August, Heritage Action targeted seven of those Members, urging them to support repeal. None of them did. And now, Representatives Bobby Bright (AL), Travis Childers (MS), Frank Kratovil (MD), Walt Minnick (ID), Glenn Nye (VA) and Ike Skelton (MO) will be looking for new employment in January. The only survivor was North Carolina's Mike McIntyre.
Something interesting was happening in Tar Heel State, though. Along with McIntyre, Representatives Heath Schuler and Larry Kissell also held on to their seats. At first glance, there seems to be no conservative mandate emanating from North Carolina. However, a source in North Carolina passes along this assessment:
On the same night that Democrats rallied around their stone wall in the House - Burr sailed to victory. On the same night that Democrats rallied around their stone wall, the GOP won the state legislature by picking up 10 seats in the state house (120) and 6 seats in the state senate (50). ... there was an internal GOP wave, and the House Democrats were unaffected.
For whatever reason, the "internal" wave did not crash on Representatives McIntyre, Schuler and Kissell, though the dynamics at the local level suggest this will be a state to watch closely over the next two years.