The Hill News

Republicans are fundraising off Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget proposal as Democrats are looking to put the GOP on the defensive over it.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Tuesday circulated a fundraising appeal to supporters from House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) that praises the budget, which cuts $5.8 trillion over a decade. The pitch accuses Democrats of being unserious about addressing the nation's debt and deficit troubles.

{mosads}"They believe it serves their political interests to try to demonize our proposals to cut spending and preserve critical health and retirement programs for future generations," Boehner writes of Democrats. 

Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman, also sent out a fundraising appeal to his Prosperity PAC supporters.

Republicans are trying to turn! the issue into a political winner after weathering attacks from Democrats for nearly a week. 

Democrats were incensed over the budget, accusing Republicans of using it to gut Medicare and Medicaid. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman (DCCC) Steve Israel (N.Y.) predicted last week that his party would retake control of the House because of voter pushback over the proposal.

The DCCC has also launched an ad campaign targeting 25 House Republicans ! for supp orting Ryan's budget. Democrats would need a net gain of 25 seats in 2012 to take back the House. The committee also put out a 30-second ad humorously suggesting that, under Ryan's plan, seniors would have to mow lawns or work as strippers to earn healthcare money.

"Last Friday, 235 of my Republican colleagues in the House joined me in supporting this cause and voted to pass my 2012 budget proposal. Now, they’re under attack from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee â€" Nancy Pelosi’s political machine," reads Ryan's email.

"The fact is we can’t afford all of the political nonsense the Democrats are generating. We have a dire financial crisis awaiting us, but we can get ourselves ba! ck on the the path to prosperity if we act now. My fellow House Republicans took bold action and are now paying the price."