Vulnerable Democrats fight health law stigma

In tight races around the nation, Democrats are hoping that stories about the health law's rocky rollout are behind them, while Republicans try to make the races a referendum on the law.

Los Angeles Times: Louisiana Democrat Highlights Independence From Obama In New Ad
The aggressive tone of [Sen. Mary] Landrieu's new ad mirrors that of her first ad last fall, which highlighted her legislative proposal to fix Obama's health care law. Her campaign aired the ad after thousands of Louisiana residents received warnings that their health insurance policies would be canceled because they did not meet the new guidelines under the law. As a key target in the Republican quest to win back the Senate, Landrieu faces two Republican opponents in the November election and must win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff (Reston, 4/15).

The Wall Street Journal: Health Law Poses A Test In New Hampshire Senate Race
New Hampshire's rollout of the Affordable Care Act has been one of the rockiest in the nation, putting Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen on the front lines of Republican efforts to make the 2014 elections a referendum on the health law. Only a single insurer in the state offers policies through the new law. Ten of the state's 26 hospitals and one fifth of its primary care providers aren't in its network. Residents of Concord, the state capital, have to drive to other cities to get covered hospital care (Hook, 4/15).

The Denver Post:  GOP Claim About Sen. Mark Udall And Obamacare Ruled 'Mostly False'
A nationally lauded political-fact checking enterprise has concluded Congressman Cory Gardner's claim that Sen. Mark Udall cast the deciding vote on Obamacare was "mostly false." Republicans for months have hammered Udall on that point, but the attacks stepped up after Gardner unexpectedly jumped into the Senate race in February, turning it into one of the most closely watched contests in the country (Bartels, 4/15).