Obamacare plays supporting role in campaigns

While the Affordable Care Act is still 'red meat' for conservative voters, Republicans are trying to be more nuanced in how they talk about the issue this campaign season. Meanwhile in Arkansas, Democratic candidates are stressing the importance of keeping the state's Medicaid expansion in place, while in North Carolina, embattled Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat, attacks the president for not doing enough to change the Veterans Affairs Department.

Kaiser Health News: Obamacare Still 'Red Meat' For GOP Candidates But Focus Of Attacks Shift
Heading into the first congressional election since millions of Americans gained coverage under the health law, many Republican candidates are taking a more nuanced approach to how they criticize the law. Rather than just calling for repeal, they are following [North Star Opinion Research President Whit] Ayres' recommendations to focus on arguments about how the law is hurting consumers, government budgets or the economy (Galewitz, 8/25).

Associated Press: Democrats Focus on Private Medicaid Expansion Option
Democratic candidates for statewide and congressional office in Arkansas called for increasing the state's minimum wage and keeping its compromise Medicaid expansion alive on Saturday, describing themselves as champions of working families as they addressed the party's annual convention. Hoping to prevent a Republican takeover of the state's top offices, the party's nominees derided GOP rivals as out of touch with the state on several issues affecting the middle class in the state. Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, who is locked in a closely watched and expensive fight for a third term against Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, accused his rival of being too closely allied with outside groups that have been spending heavily in the race. Republicans need a net gain of six seats to take a majority in the Senate, and the GOP views the Arkansas race as crucial to that fight (Demillo, 8/23).

The Hill: Hagan Hits Obama On VA Ahead Of NC Visit
Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) said President Obama has not done enough to reform the Veterans Affairs Department in a statement released Friday evening, shortly after the president announced a trip to North Carolina next week. Hagan signaled she would be at the American Legion's National Convention in Charlotte next Tuesday, where the president will speak, to voice her concerns (Trujillo, 8/23).