New Democratic strategy: Talk openly about ObamaCare's problems, and how to fix them

The shift represents an abrupt change from 2010, when House Democrats tried to ignore the law entirely and “got their clocks cleaned,” said Senator Christopher S. Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, referring to the more than 60 seats that Republicans picked up to regain control of the House.

“Part of what we learned in 2010 is that this is a real issue of concern to voters and you can’t dodge it, you have to take it on, and I think Democrats are much more ready and willing to do that in 2014,” said Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster who has done surveys for Democrats on the law. “We certainly have enough evidence now that this is not a fight you can win if you are in a defensive crouch.”

Democrats will need plenty of offense as they face a multimillion-dollar advertising assault from Republican-aligned interest groups and candidates that want to make the midterm elections a referendum on the Affordable Care Act, using the law as an exemplar of the government’s ineptitude in managing a vast national program…

A memo from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee distributed to candidates and consultants suggested possible lines of attack, such as accusing a Republican who voted to repeal the health law of wanting “to go back to the days when insurance companies could charge women more than men for the same coverage, and treat pregnancy as a pre-existing condition.”