Opponents of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead HHS are buying tens of thousands of dollars in ads across the states of key Republican senators as he plans to meet with them this week.
Protect Our Care, which has launched a Stop RFK War Room, has bought advertising slots — from digital ads to billboards — calling on constituents to urge their senators to oppose Kennedy’s nomination, leaders of the group told POLITICO.
“We’re going to accelerate our activity,” said Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, a health advocacy group aligned with Democrats. “We think this week’s a big deal.”
The group is targeting GOP senators it believes could be persuaded to vote against Kennedy’s confirmation: Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and the newly elected Jim Justice (R-W.Va.).
The ads connect Kennedy’s unsupported claims about the danger of vaccines to the deaths of more than 80 children during a measles outbreak in Samoa in 2019 — and argue that health professionals, scientists and the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board oppose his confirmation, making it a safe position for Republicans.
Why it matters: Protect Our Care, along with several groups focused on public health, are arguing to senators — and the public — that Kennedy’s views on vaccines, medical authorities and key health policies would be detrimental to the U.S. population, should he lead HHS.
To block Kennedy, four Republican senators would have to oppose his confirmation if every Democrat votes no.
What’s next? Protect Our Care expects more campaigning against the nominee in the future.
“We will spend more,” Woodhouse said. “We’re just starting this process.”