Democrats are increasingly committing to support single-payer healthcare, amid Republican attacks on ObamaCare and pressure from their partys left-wing base.

What was once considered only a progressive talking point has gained traction as more Democratic candidates have been willing to embrace government-funded healthcare on the campaign trail and more House members have been signing onto the idea.

Single-payer isnt just being discussed in liberal enclaves of the country like California, where a single-payer measure recently fell short in the state Assembly. Its a hot topic in Speaker Paul RyanPaul RyanSingle-payer healthcare gains traction with Dems GOP chairman proposes new sanctions on Russia for violating arms treaty Ryan says he won't do public town halls citing concerns over possible protests MOREs (R-Wis.) Republican-leaning district, where all the Democratic candidates running in the primary have supported it.

Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersSingle-payer healthcare gains traction with Dems The Hill's 12:30 Report In Woodrow Wilson fashion, here are 14 points for ObamaCare repeal MORE (I-Vt.) championed the idea of universal healthcare during his insurgent presidential campaign, and hell introduce his single-payer plan once the debate over ObamaCare ends.

Other senators such asElizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenSingle-payer healthcare gains traction with Dems In Woodrow Wilson fashion, here are 14 points for ObamaCare repeal Warren: Ethics director's resignation 'deeply unnerving' MORE (D-Mass.) and Kirsten GillibrandKirsten GillibrandSingle-payer healthcare gains traction with Dems Senate Democrats: ObamaCare repeal fight isn't over yet Bipartisan senators seek to boost expertise in military justice system MORE (D-N.Y.), two potential 2020 contenders are getting on board with a Medicare for All proposal. Sen. Tammy BaldwinTammy BaldwinSingle-payer healthcare gains traction with Dems Major progressive group rolls out first incumbent House endorsement Dems push for more action on power grid cybersecurity MORE (D-Wis.), who faces a tough reelection in a state won by President Trump, said shes a maybe on Sanderss plan but anticipates supporting it, according to The Capital Times.

In the House, Rep. John Conyers Jr.s (D-Mich.) Medicare for All bill has already netted 113 co-sponsors nearly double the number of co-sponsors the legislation garnered last congressional session.

Key names are noticeably absent from the list, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). But other members of leadership, includingDemocratic Caucus Chairman Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) and Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.), are co-sponsors of the bill.

Its nice to see many senators and a variety of people in the House publicly stating for the first time on record that a single-payer system is the way of the future that we need to be working toward, Shannon Jackson, the executive director of the Sanders-aligned group Our Revolution, told The Hill.

Warren has publicly encouraged Democratic candidates to campaign on the idea in 2018 and 2020. But even though the Democrats in Ryans likely safe GOP district are supporting it, other Democratic candidates in red states and districts have been more cautious about endorsing single-payer. Rob Quist, the Montana Democrat endorsed by Sanders, was the only candidate in this years House special electionsto run on that platform.

I think that the politicians who choose to run on a campaign that states and embodies that pillar of our platform will be successful and they will be able to connect with the people, Jackson said.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows a modest increase in Americans support for the concept, with 53 percent of the public supporting all Americans getting their coverage through a single government plan.

Thats up from 2008 and 2009, when about 46 percent of the public held this position. A majority of the uptick in support has come from independents, Kaiser noted.

But in practice, Democrats havent been able to muster enough votes to pass a single-payer plan. In Californias state Assembly, moderate and progressive Democrats couldnt agree on the proposal. While it passed the state Senate, California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D) ultimately tabled the proposal in his chamber.

Itll tend to be an issue that more left-leaning Democrats are willing to embrace, said Dan Mendelson, president of consulting firm Avalere Health.

In order to embrace that concept, youll have to be willing to defend the efficiency and effectiveness of a fully run government system, and there are many Democrats who are not going to do that and there are some who are.

For Democrats, the increased talk about single-payer offers an alternative message to oppose the Senate GOPs bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare, he said.

Under a single-payer system, all Americans would have health coverage, whereas the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates 22 million people would become uninsured under the Senate GOPs healthcare plan.

I think what you see is the Democrats on the Hill are searching for a single unifying message to unite in opposition to what is happening presently in the Congress, Mendelson said. And thats really what they're looking for.

Republicans have taken note, seizing on Warrens request for Democrats to campaign on single-payer in an attempt to play offense in the healthcare debate as Republicans struggle with their unpopular plan.

But Republicans are seeing an advantage in Democrats embrace of single-payer, too. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is running auto-play Facebook ads that seek to tie the 10 Democratic senators up for reelection in states Trump won to Warren and government-run healthcare.

The Senate GOPs campaign arm and the Republican National Committee have pointed to studies that say Medicare for All could cost as much as $32 trillion over a decade.

I think that the idea that this is becoming ourcentralfocus is mistaken and one that our opponents are trying to put forward so they dont have to talk about their age tax, said a Democratic strategist with ties to Senate races. What unites Senate Democrats is opposition to this disaster of a Republican bill.

Some Republicans dont see single-payer becoming a toxic issue for Democrats, arguing that those kinds of attacks are more of a deflection tool from the GOPs own healthcare bill.

It almost seems like its too wonky and not enough red meat to really make something catch fire, a Republican operative in Washington told The Hill. Its hard to attack Democrats over single-payer healthcare when we cant get our act together on repealing ObamaCare.

Despite increasing talk of single-payer, Democrats havent agreed yet on a healthcare message for the 2018 midterms, in part because that will depend on whether Republicans manage to repeal ObamaCare.

"The [GOP] Senate bill is almost designed to make healthcare top-tier issue in the next elections, said Larry Levitt, a Kaiser Family Foundation senior vice president.

If the repeal and the replace bill is enacted and signed into law, Democrats will face a challenge as to what their healthcare message will be in 2018 and 2020, Levittsaid, adding that its very likely that many Democrats would turn to single-payer as the next step.

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Single-payer healthcare gains traction with Dems - The Hill