“Drew Johnson is no match for Susie Lee and her demonstrated track record of bipartisanship and delivering results. Unlike Drew, Susie knows that getting things done takes more than being a think tank operative. Whether it’s working to lower costs or securing critical resources for Las Vegas, Susie gets the job done. Meanwhile, Johnson wants to take away the critical funding and programs that hardworking Nevadans rely on to live healthy and full lives, such as Social Security. As health care remains an important issue for voters, Johnson is on a dangerous crusade to undermine affordable health care and roll back the clock on abortion rights. When presented with the stark contrast between Johnson’s dangerous and extreme agenda and Susie Lee’s record of delivering for families, Nevadans will readily reelect Susie,” said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene.
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To: Interested Parties From: Lauryn Fanguen
Date: June 12, 2024
Subject: The Case Against Drew Johnson
Before running for Congress, Susie Lee had a long career of working to improve public education and provide opportunities for young children across Nevada. She spent 25 years leading nonprofits, including Communities In Schools, a local organization that helps at-risk kids graduate high school. She continued her career of public service in Congress where she consistently works across the aisle to deliver for Nevada children and families, and is ranked as one of the most bipartisan Members of Congress. Lee capped the cost of insulin while working to lower the cost of prescription drugs, gas, and groceries, and is working to tackle Southern Nevada’s water crisis. She’s brought billions in infrastructure projects to Nevada and garnered bipartisan support for her legislation that has helped deliver historic investments to keep water in Lake Mead and resources for the Creech Air Force Base. Susie Lee is a problem-solver Nevadans can trust.
Drew Johnson thinks that writing policy papers is an effective way to cover up his record as a far-right extremist who is committed to eliminating the retirement benefits that Nevada families and seniors have earned. If elected to Congress, Johnson would join MAGA Republicans who want to cut Medicare and would strip Nevadans of access to quality and affordable healthcare while restricting access to reproductive care here in Nevada. He’d be in lockstep with Donald Trump and his agenda on reproductive care, which would only end with a ban on abortion nationwide. Johnson only cares about pushing an out-of-touch, unpopular, radical agenda.
Johnson’s Dream: A Nationwide Abortion Ban
Drew Johnson has made embracing convicted felon Donald Trump and his MAGA agenda a pillar of his campaign. Johnson said he was “proud to be the very first federal candidate in Nevada to endorse Donald Trump for President in 2024!” He goes further to prove his Trump devotion, adding that he even knocked on doors and “helped voters get to caucus sites.” It’s no secret that Trump paved the way for the abortion bans and chaos we’re seeing across the country – and he wants more. As Trump recently bragged about his role in dismantling abortion rights and discussed his potential future anti-abortion actions, he also noted “I need allies there when I’m elected” to carry out the rest of his anti-abortion crusade. Johnson’s support for Trump is indicative of how he would vote should Donald Trump call and ask him to support his national abortion ban.
In a now-deleted Tweet, Johnson expressed support for Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House. Jordan famously co-sponsored a national abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of a woman. This bill could also ban IVF nationwide, a radical policy proposal that would threaten if, how, and when Nevadans start and grow their families.
Nevadans trust Susie on this issue because she understands the challenges of being a mom. Susie suffered multiple miscarriages, and her two children were conceived using IVF treatment. She has been outspoken about fighting GOP efforts to ban the procedure and even shared her personal experiences using IVF. Susie also co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act which would protect abortion rights in Nevada and nationwide, and is endorsed by Planned Parenthood.
Drew Johnson is Anti-Working Class
In a now private Twitter account, Johnson said he supported raising the retirement age, and he’d surely join the more than 80 percent of Republicans calling for cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
He even claimed in another now-deleted tweet that he wants to abolish the Department of Education, which would threaten resources for Nevada’s public schools. Susie Lee is dedicated to protecting Social Security and Medicare. She worked to cap the price of insulin for Nevada Seniors to $35 a month and empower Medicare to lower drug prices. She wants to build on these wins by capping the price of insulin for everyone. Susie has continued her longstanding advocacy for education in Congress, introducing legislation to make higher education more affordable and fund special education programs.
Drew Johnson Would Raise Costs for Nevadans’ Health Care
The cost of health care is a key issue for Nevada families. This year, Nevada’s health insurance marketplace had its second largest open enrollment period in the state’s history thanks to the Affordable Care Act. However, if Drew Johnson had his way, this would not have been possible. Johnson is vehemently against the ACA and has spread misinformation about the program that is helping nearly one million Nevadans access affordable health care. Johnson called the ACA “President Obama’s absurd and irresponsible attempt to mandate, regulate and complicate the American health care system.” Johnson falsely repeated the InfoWars conspiracy theory that the Obama administration illegally diverted profits from Fannie Mae into the ACA.
His crusade against lowering health care costs doesn’t stop there. Johnson criticized Biden’s prescription drug price control plan. He went as far as calling prescription drug price controls “socialist style price caps.” Drew Johnson in Congress is a serious threat to affordable health care for all Nevadans.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Nevada Independent: After losing three straight times, are Republicans as invested in Vegas House seats? [Nevada Independent, 04/30/24]
Nevada Independent: Top GOP super PAC not spending in Vegas-area House races, breaking from past cycles [Nevada Independent, 05/22/24]
KSNV: Congresswoman Susie Lee secures $1 million for new police emergency command vehicle [KSNV, 06/01/24]
Nevada Independent: Lombardo endorses Susie Lee’s lands proposal in rare support for Democrat-led initiative [Nevada Independent, 04/04/24]
KVVU: NV Representative Susie Lee announces $2 Million for charity housing, food assistance upgrades [ KVVU, 03/18/24]
Las Vegas Review Journal: Rosen, Lee among legislators who break party ranks the most, study finds [Las Vegas Review Journal, 02/16/24]
KLAS: Lee announces $63 million for Nevada water projects; SNWA praised for conservation [KLAS, 08/30/23]
PATH TO VICTORY
Inside Elections has Nevada’s Third Congressional District listed as Likely Democrat. This district has just over 30,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans. However, more voters identify as unaffiliated than with either political party. This is advantageous for Susie Lee, who ranks as one of the most bipartisan Members of Congress. Her reputation of working across the aisle to deliver results for Nevadans resonates with this independent-minded district. Despite the Independent lean, a Democrat has won this district at the presidential, senatorial, and congressional level for over a decade. Nevadans will likely be voting on an abortion ballot initiative this fall. Since Roe fell, every time pro-abortion rights referendums have been on the ballot, they’ve passed.
While Susie Lee is known as a reliable advocate for Nevada children and families, fighting to protect reproductive rights, secure critical federal investments in water, infrastructure, housing, and more, Drew Johnson writes laundry lists of ways he will abandon Nevada families. Nevada voters won’t stand for his radical agenda and will reject his extremism this November.
