Behind President Barack Obama’s public push to pass sweeping health care reform, there was an equally intense behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign to influence the legislation and the outcome of Sunday’s historic vote.
Powerful interest groups worked almost around the clock last week, meeting with wavering Democratic lawmakers and huddling with leadership staff to push reform over the finish line.
The powerful seniors’ lobbying group, AARP, flew in local staffers from about 15 states to pitch their House lawmakers on why reform was important to their constituents, spreading “the gospel with members that they have relationships with,” said AARP Senior Vice President David Sloane.
Kelli Fritts was one of enlisted locals.
A longtime Colorado state lobbyist, Fritts came in to lobby her state’s Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Betsy Markey, who was on the fence early last week. A freshman facing a tough re-election race, Markey voted against the House bill in November and was being pressured to flip and support the final reform package.
Fritts understood Markey’s rural, Republican-leaning district having participated in a town hall meeting with the congresswoman last summer, where the crowd of about 300 seniors had its share of skeptics.
So Fritts was called to Washington make the final sale. - Politico Story
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