EXCLUSIVE — The campaign arm for House Democrats is targeting 35 House Republicans with a digital ad buy that highlights their vote in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was signed into law in July.
The four-figure campaign from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee begins this week on Meta, with a focus on the rising cost of living for “everything from healthcare to utility bills.” The ad seeks to blend early signs that inflation is once again on the rise with Democrats’ portrayal of the GOP tax bill as catering to the wealthy.
“House Republicans promised to lower costs on ‘Day One,’ but instead voted to jack up costs on food, health care, and electricity bills so they could bankroll tax breaks for the wealthy and well-connected,” DCCC spokesman Viet Shelton said in a statement. “The DCCC is making sure that every battleground voter knows that House Republicans and their One, Big, Ugly Law are the reason that life is getting more expensive for everyday Americans, and will hold them accountable in 2026.”
The messaging is the mirror image of the one utilized by Republicans in the 2024 elections, when decades-high inflation under President Joe Biden became the centerpiece of their economic platform. Now, with the GOP in control of Washington and data suggesting President Donald Trump’s tariffs could be driving up prices, the campaign arm is arguing that Republicans are not good stewards of the economy.
The ad buy, shared first with the Washington Examiner, will target each Republican on the DCCC’s “Districts in Play” list. The districts span 18 states ahead of the 2026 election, in which Democrats only need a net gain of three seats to retake the House majority. Among the targets are the 29 seats rated competitive by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report and six seats considered more solidly red.
“Food, utility, and health care costs are going up because [Republican member] voted to give rich people a bigger tax break,” the ad reads, with the image mimicking a breaking alert for a news article.
Historically, the party in power loses seats in the midterm elections, though Republicans have projected confidence that they can buck that trend. The tax bill, in particular, has given Democrats a chance to build a messaging platform to target not only swing seats but seats not usually considered in play.
Republicans plan to highlight the law’s border security funding and new tax breaks for tip and overtime wages, but Democrats see an opportunity to emphasize its cuts to safety net programs and provisions that disproportionately help the wealthy.
One of the ads targets Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL). Though his seat is considered “solid Republican,” the congressman has been under scrutiny for some time following allegations of stolen valor, domestic abuse, and congressional ethics violations. Most recently, Mills was accused of threatening to release sexually explicit photos of his ex-girlfriend, Lindsey Langston, a Miss United States pageant winner and Florida GOP committeewoman. Mills has denied the allegations against him.
Other targets will include vulnerable GOP lawmakers such as Reps. Gabe Evans (R-CO), whose seat is rated a toss-up in 2026, and Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), who narrowly defended her seat last cycle.
Republicans have blasted Democrats for “fearmongering” on the bill, and many of the changes to Medicaid and other beneficiary programs do not kick in until after the midterm elections. But a handful of House GOP members are facing protests and jeers at town halls, where they are trying to sell constituents on its merits.
Republicans have largely brushed off the interruptions as staged interventions by Democrats, but they are still bringing unwanted attention as the party works to convince the public that the wide-spanning law will boost the economy. A mid-July CNN poll showed roughly 6 in 10 people opposed the bill.
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White House officials are also hitting the road to promote the legislation, with the goal of winning over voters who are unsure about its changes to Medicaid and food stamps, which largely consist of new work requirements.
“House Democrats are lying through their teeth because they know President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill is putting more money in working families’ pockets, cutting taxes for seniors, and lowering energy costs,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
