Why Republicans are leaning in on healthcare: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.In today’s edition, Sahil Kapur explores why Republicans on the campaign trail are highlighting healthcare, an issue that has been a political weakness for them.Plus, Alexander Smith explains what President Donald Trump’s Greenland deal really accomplishes.

— Adam WollnerWhy Republicans are leaning in on healthcareBy Sahil KapurHealthcare is shaping up to be a vulnerability for the GOP in the midterm elections: According to this month’s NBC News poll, registered voters nationally trust Democrats over Republicans on healthcare by 22 points.And a New York Times-Siena College poll similarly found that likely voters preferred Democrats by 24 points on the issue.Still, Republicans are leaning in on the issue, with many of them using populist rhetoric criticizing insurance and drug companies.

The goal, according to GOP strategists, is more about trying to narrow the Democratic advantage than expecting to win on healthcare.In battleground Michigan, Senate candidate Mike Rogers released an ad inveighing against high prescription drug costs relative to Canada as he runs against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who backs “Medicare for All.”In a New Jersey swing district, Republican Rep.Tom Kean Jr.

is running an ad lamenting that too many families “suffer because of big insurance companies.” And even in deep red Kansas, Republican Sen.Roger Marshall has an ad that credits him for “standing up to big insurance.”“Republicans need to make up a deficit with women voters, and when you ask women what they are most focused on, healthcare always scores very high,” said Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who co-conducts the NBC News poll with Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt.

He added: “You don’t have to win an issue.You just have to compete on the issue.”But Democrats ar...