Polling Shows Cassidy’s Government Shutdown Could Be Devastating For His 2014 Chances

Cassidy Shut Down Government In Order To Delay Same Health Care Reforms He Tried To Pass At State Level in ’07

New Orleans, Louisiana – As thousands of furloughed workers in Louisiana return to their first full week back on the job today after Bill Cassidy recklessly shut down the government and voted to send the U.S. economy into default, Cassidy continues to deal with the fallout from his shameful political calculation, including attacks from a Republican member of Louisiana’s congressional delegation.

Polling shows Bill Cassidy’s government shutdown could very well sink his floundering campaign for Senate. Amid the government shutdown of his making, Cassidy filed a “dismal earnings report” last week that had Louisiana’s leading conservative blog questioning his ability to be competitive in 2014. And now, Cassidy must answer to his colleague Louisiana Republican Rep. Charles Boustany, who says that Cassidy “jeopardize[d]” the “nation’s economy” by voting to continue his indefinite government shutdown and send the U.S. economy into default.

Boustany was the lone voice of reason among the Republicans in Louisiana’s congressional delegation. Announcing his support for the bipartisan compromise that ended Bill Cassidy’s government shutdown and averted default, Boustany stated:

“I refuse to jeopardize the nation’s economy over political disagreements on Capitol Hill. Some in Washington deny their responsibility to govern.”

Those denying “their responsibility to govern” according to Boustany include Bill Cassidy, who voted five times to shut down the government and at least 16 times to block votes on a clean continuing resolution that could have ended his government shutdown weeks ago.

Bill Cassidy’s government shutdown cost the economy at least $24 billion and shaved 0.6 percent off our economic growth. If Cassidy had successfully forced the U.S. economy into default, the consequences would have been catastrophic.

As Bill Cassidy struggles from now until next November to explain why he shut down the government in order to delay the same exact health care reforms he tried to pass at the state level only six years ago and voted for default, voters will remember that when Louisianians were suffering, Cassidy put his political interests before Louisiana families.

“Bill Cassidy’s government shutdown and support for the U.S. defaulting on its debt for the first time in history were such shameful political calculations that even Republicans like Congressman Boustany are attacking Bill Cassidy for jeopardizing ‘the nation’s economy,'” said Campaign for Louisiana Communications Director Andrew Zucker. “As Bill Cassidy’s shameful political calculation continues to backfire and imperil his chances to mount a serious challenge to Mary Landrieu in 2014, his government shutdown over health care reforms he tried to pass at the state level in 2007 and vote to send the U.S. economy into default are proof that he can’t be counted on to fight for Louisiana families.”

BACKGROUND

Five Times, Cassidy Voted For Extreme House Republican Plans That Would Shut Down Government. [Vote #478, 9/20/13; CNN, 9/20/13; CNN, 9/29/13Vote #498, 9/29/13; Vote 502, 9/30/13; Vote 504, 9/30/13; Vote 505, 10/1/13]

Cassidy Signed A Letter Asking GOP House Leadership Not To Support Any Spending Bill Unless The Affordable Care Act Is Defunded. “U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy joined more than one-third of U.S. House Republicans in urging the leadership to threaten to force a government shutdown unless Obamacare is defunded… The letter that Cassidy signed onto includes 80 of the House’s 233 Republicans and asks the GOP House leadership not to support any spending bill — including a needed continuing resolution to avoid a partial government shutdown after Sept. 30 — unless the Affordable Care Act health care law is defunded.” [The Advocate, 8/25/13]

Cassidy and House Republicans Voted Sixteen Times Against Efforts to Re-Open the Government. Daines and House Republicans voted sixteen times against efforts to vote on a clean government funding resolution by allowing consideration of the Senate-passed continuing resolution. [H Res 370, Vote #509, 10/02/13; HJ Res 70, Vote #512, 10/02/13; HR 3230, Vote #515, 10/03/13; HJ Res 72, Vote #517, 10/03/13; H Res 371, Vote #519, 10/04/13; HJ Res 85, Vote #521, 10/04/13; HJ Res 75, Vote #523, 10/04/13; H J Res 77,  Vote #527, 10/7/13; HJ Res 84, Vote #529, 10/08/13; H Res 373, Vote #531, 10/08/13; HR 3273, Vote #533, 10/08/13; HJ Res 90, Vote #536, 10/09/13; HJ Res 79, Vote #539, 10/10/13; HJ Res 76, Vote #541, 10/11/13; HJ Res 80, Vote #547, 10/14/13; HJ Res 80, Vote #549, 10/14/13]

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