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PA17: Lamb, Rothfus Joust Over Healthcare and Leadership

A healthy discussion?

Reps. Conor Lamb (D-Allegheny) and Keith Rothfus (R-Allegheny) have made affordable health insurance a main talking point during the campaign for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional district.

In the latest rounds of ads, both candidates have taken jabs at the other over who is better suited to represent the districts healthcare needs.

Rothfus’s 30 second ad, “Would You” attempts to paint a stark contrast between the healthcare message of his campaign and Lamb.

“Would you vote to deny terminally ill patients the right to try experimental, life-saving medications? Conor Lamb did,” the voiceover states to start the ad. “Would you vote in favor of abortion late in pregnancy, when babies feel pain? Conor Lamb would.”

The ad later states Rothfus’s previous battle with cancer shows he is keeping their interest in mind.  

“Meanwhile, Congressman Rothfus, a cancer survivor, has fought and voted for the rights of terminally ill patients,” said Mike Barley, campaign spokesman. “He understands how precious life is.”

Lamb’s thirty second television ad, “Abandoned” showcases the Democratic candidates support of making sure health insurance providers cannot denying people with preexisting conditions.  

“I think people feel abandoned and they feel let down,” Lamb says to start the ad. “You know, we finally did get something done a few years ago, when we used the force of law for what it’s good for: to protect people.”

“We said insurance companies can no longer discriminate against someone just because they have cancer or they have asthma, or Alzheimer’s,” Lamb says. “And now the government wants to take that away and leave nothing in its place, other than higher bills and higher debt for people that are suffering from those conditions. I think that’s wrong, I think almost all Americans think that’s wrong.”

The latest Rothfus campaign ad, Integrity, clips parts of a previous Lamb television ad when the Democratic candidate talks about integrity and tries to tie him to big corporations.

“Conor Lamb says he doesn’t take corporate PAC money, but he took over $25,000 from corporate executives at a big bank, where his father is the lobbyist,” a voiceover in the ad states. “Lamb’s first vote in Congress, to help big banks that gave his campaign big bucks. Lamb turned out to be just another politician.”

The ad concludes by stating the Democrat has “failed” his constituents on portraying integrity.

The Lamb campaign’s most recent television ad uploaded on Youtube today piggybacks off of what candidate displays better leadership qualities and addresses Rothfus’s previous attack ads. The thirty second ad, “The Difference” reiterates Lamb’s support for protecting those with preexisting conditions and painting Rothfus as the one beholden to big pharmaceutical companies.   

“Keith Rothfus has already started attacking Conor Lamb,” the voiceover says to start the ad. “Why? Because Rothfus can’t defend voting to eliminate protections for people with preexisting conditions. Or his vote to give a $50 billion tax break to big drug companies.”


The ads addressing this topic date back to over a month ago. The Rothfus campaign’s second television ad detailed protecting affordable healthcare insurance, while Lamb’s second television ad shows the Democrats promise to fight big drug companies.  

8 Responses

  1. Addendum to last comment. I am a voter in the new 17th district and wherever I go and whoever I talk to I remind them of your voting record. Your claim that you look out for the middle class is a joke and your voting records demonstrates that.

    1. I’m from the 16th district but my friends in the newly court gerrymandered 17th like the way things are going. They are not all that enthused about turning their district into a rubber stamp for Pelosi and the left. We’ll see in a month who carries the day.

      1. But allowing Paul Ryan, or whoever takes his place to give tax cuts to the rich is fine by you? Maybe you’re one of the 1%. Would make sense then.

  2. Well Rothfus you’re finally running in a district that wasn’t Gerrymandered to ensure your reelection. You have to run on your record….like voting to allow insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions……how about voting against federal funds to help businesses and homes to rebuild after being destroyed by Super Storm Sandy. And lastly you have to have a conscience and be a kind human being who cares for others less fortunate….you lose on all counts.

  3. If NRCC pulled the ads for Rothfus, then it is all over but the shouting. Redistricting matters. Votes matter. Conor Lamb is an excellent candidate and is beating Rothfus because of his political skills.

  4. So this is how your going out Rothfus? A petty vindictive jerk because you had the rug yanked on you? Maybe you should have rethought about being trumps pet?

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