Democrats’ October ‘surprise’ in the midterms? Hint: It has to do with health care costs

… Insurers in Maryland, New York and Washington have already submitted requests for premium increases averaging 19 percent to 30 percent statewide, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. It’s an October “surprise” that everyone sees coming, including Democrats trying to take back the House and Senate. …

In focus groups and polls, Democrats are honing a message that they say will link health care problems to voter skepticism of private insurers, the Republican tax bill and donor influence on policies.

“One argument that has an enormous amount of power with voters is that Trump and the Republicans gave both the insurance companies and the drug companies huge tax cuts — and they’re continuing to jack up people’s costs nevertheless,” said Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster. CONT.

Benjy Sarlin & Alex Seitz-Wald, NBC News