Clovis says Braley avoiding discussion of ObamaCare

A Republican U.S. Senate hopeful wants to know why Rep. Bruce Braley, a champion of ObamaCare in the past, has been “conspicuously quiet” on its impact on Iowans as it is being implemented.

Sam Clovis, one of several Republicans seeking the party's 2014 nomination for the Senate seat now held by Sen. Tom Harkin, suggested U.S. 1

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District Rep. Braley, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has been avoiding the issue as he travels the state during Congress' August recess.

Citing a decision by UPS to drop coverage of employees' spouses, Clovis, a Sioux City college professor and former radio talk show host, said the Affordable Care Act “is now becoming the ‘Unaffordable' Care Act.”

As people lose insurance or face higher costs. “Braley has become very quiet on the subject,” Clovis said. “Once an ardent supporter, he has now become a silent voice.”

So he's planning his own health care meeting at noon Sept. 4 at the Manchester Pizza Ranch. He wants to hear from Iowans affected by the implementation of ObamaCare.

“Many Iowans are very confused by this mandate and I want to hear how they are going to incorporate it into their personal lives,” he said.

The Braley campaign thinks it's a good idea for Clovis to get out and talk to Iowans about health care affordability.

“He owes Iowans a lot of answers on why he supports shutting down the federal government to repeal ObamaCare,” said Molly Scherrman, senior adviser to Braley for Iowa. To

Clovis and fellow GOP Senate hopeful Matt Whitaker have signed a pledge calling for the “full repeal” of ObamaCare and opposing any funding to implement it. That could lead to a shutdown of the federal government, according to critics of defunding the health care act.

Defunding ObamaCare would be “an extreme, dangerous political game that could jeopardize the most basic of government functions and hurt the economic recovery,” Scherrman said. “Choosing shutdown and stalemate over making government work is exactly what's wrong with Washington, not what will make it right.”

She also took issue with Clovis' suggestion that Braley has not been talking to Iowans during the August recess.

“No one works harder,” Scherrman said about Braley's 28 public events this month. “That's seven more public events than Sam Clovis has done in the past two months.”

The Braley campaign noted the congressman has done 14 official events and 14 campaign events. All have been open to the public and health care issues have come up during those meetings, including at farm bill listening posts.

Since the beginning of 2013, Braley has had events in 61 of Iowa's 99 counties.