Pro-Trump group launches $1M ad campaign against Sen. Heller over ObamaCare stance

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5th GOP senator comes out against health care bill

Sen. Dean Heller says he opposes current Senate Republican bill; Peter Doocy reports from Capitol Hill

An organization run by former Trump and Pence campaign staffers is launching a $1 million digital ad campaign against Sen. Dean Heller, the Nevada Republican who came out Friday afternoon against the Senate GOP health care bill, Fox News confirms.

America First Policies, which promotes President Trump’s agenda, planned to launch the seven-figure ad campaign against Heller on Friday night, according to staffers from the organization, and will be ramped up next week.

Heller is up for re-election in 2018 and is considered one of the most vulnerable GOP senators.

"Obamacare is collapsing. This is a crisis for the American people. There is no excuse for any Republican or Democrat to oppose the Senate health care bill outright," Brian Walsh, president of the group, said in a statement. "Senator Heller ... appears to be heading down a path with Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and the radical left."

On Friday, Heller joined Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Mike Lee, R-Utah; and Rand Paul, R-Ky., who all announced opposition to the Senate health plan unveiled by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday.

“My point is this bill currently in front of the United States Senate is not the answer—it’s simply not the answer,” Heller said at a press conference in Nevada on Friday. “I am announcing today that in this form, I will not support it.”

SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL: 5TH SENATOR COMES OUT AGAINST GOP PLAN 

When asked why the group is only launching such a campaign against Heller, a staffer said the other four senators seem willing to “negotiate.”

“I have been clear from day one that I want to get to yes,” Cruz said on Thursday after announcing his concern with the draft discussion of the plan. “Nobody has fought harder against ObamaCare in the Senate than I have, but we have to actually have legislation that fixes the underlying problem.”

The political group behind the ad includes former Trump campaign digital director Brad Parscale, onetime deputy campaign manager Rick Gates, and two campaign advisers to Vice President Mike Pence, Nick Ayers and Marty Obst. Trump campaign officials David Bossie and Katrina Pierson also are involved in the group.