Election 2010

A Health-Reform Litmus Test for GOP?

Tea Party demands candidates support repeal.

The battle lines are being drawn for 2010: Conservative activists are beginning to demand that Republican candidates in 2010 call for a full repeal of health-care reform, given that it passes. “This has an unusual ability to be repealed, and the public is on that side,” said the vice president for public policy of Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks. “The Republicans are going to have to prove that they are worthy of their votes.” Newt Gingrich said on Sunday that “I suspect that every Republican in 2010 and 2012 will run on an absolute pledge to repeal this bill.” At Talking Points Memo, Josh Marshall points out, “Democrats started saying last week that they plan to run on the same platform—namely, that if you vote for Republicans they’ll repeal Health Care Reform.”