“I’ve been saying for a long time now that Joe Biden is to this country what Harry Truman was back in the 1940s,” House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said
Elaine Thompson/AP Photo

The GOP has focused its attacks, so far, on charges that the bill’s spending will spark higher taxes and inflation at a time when spiking prices remain a major concern for voters. They’ve also hammered Democrats over the bill’s new Internal Revenue Service funding to hire additional enforcement personnel, which they say will result in more tax scrutiny for regular Americans. Democrats counter that the increased IRS enforcement will focus on large corporations and wealthy Americans.

“Vulnerable House Democrats are prioritizing raising taxes and funding the IRS over funding law enforcement. They’re going to lose in November,” said Torunn Sinclair, a spokesperson for the House GOP campaign arm.

But in the battle over lower health care costs, Democrats have their own midterm pitch to go up against Republicans’ inflation-minded message heading into November. House Democrats have already blasted several vulnerable GOP incumbents, such as Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), as “lying” about the spending package.

“I wouldn’t want to go home and explain to my constituents why I voted against lowering their prescription drug costs. If they want to do that, if that’s their platform, then have at it,” Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said.

“November is a long time away,” he added. “But clearly I think this is something that’s very, very popular.”

Christopher Cadelago contributed to this report.