Nebraska Democratic Party: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry Lying to Voters With Misleading TV Ad Even Though He Voted to Weaken Health-Care Protection for People With Pre-Existing Conditions

LINCOLN, Nebraska, Oct. 30 -- The Nebraska Democratic Party issued the following news release:

Jessica McClure, the Democratic candidate for Nebraska's 1st District congressional seat, said Tuesday that GOP Rep. Jeff Fortenberry is lying to voters in a new TV ad claiming he supported keeping health-care protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

In the ad, Fortenberry says "I will always protect those with pre-existing conditions

In fact, Fortenberry voted last year to make people with pre-existing conditions more vulnerable to losing affordable insurance coverage.

"To be clear, Congressman Fortenberry voted for a bill that made consumer protections for people with pre-existing, or already diagnosed conditions, optional for insurance companies," McClure said. "I'm glad to hear that he has come around on the issue but considering the timing and his past voting record it seems like a political stunt."

According to The New York Times, the bill supported by Fortenberry "to dismantle the Affordable Care Act ... would leave 14 million more people uninsured next year than under President Barack Obama's health law -- and 23 million more in 2026, the Congressional Budget Office said. Some of the nation's sickest would pay much more for health care."

Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said: "Fortenberry is talking out of both sides of his mouth. His vote hurt many of the very people he was elected to represent."