The Hill News

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is going on offense to remind Republican lawmakers that former President Ronald Reagan supported raising the debt-ceiling.

The DCCC is sending out press releases in 50 Republican districts Thursday asking if they agree with Reagan on the debt ceiling.

"Does Representative Steve King [(R-Iowa)] Agree With Ronald Reagan?," one of the press releases reads.

"House Republicans like Steve King hold up Reagan as an example of fiscal responsibility so the question is whether he agrees and will step up to help the U.S. avoid economic catastrophe?," the release continues.

For roughly two weeks now, Democrats have been highlighting Reagan, a Repub! lican icon for his fiscal conservatism, in arguing for a debt ceiling increase.

"Ronald Reagan worked with [Democratic Speaker] Tip O’Neill and Democrats to cut spending, raise revenues and reform Social Security," President Obama said Saturday in his weekly address. "That kind of cooperation should be the least you expect from us," he added.

In particular, Democrats are noting that Reagan voted to raise the debt ceiling 17 times during his presidency. They also highlight a letter Reagan wrote in 1983 to Howard H. Baker (R-Tenn.), then the Senate majority leader, in which he urged for Baker's support in raising the debt ceiling.

"This letter is to ask for your help and support, and that of your colleagues, in the passage of an increase in the limit on the public debt," Reagan's letter to Baker began.

Earlier this week the Democratic Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) sent a letter to all House Republicans noting that Reagan warned about the hazards of not raising the debt ceiling.