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Town Hall Brawls to Return?

This month, Democrats say, they will won't sit out the summer Congressional recess. They're planning to show up at Town Hall-style meetings sponsored by conservatives to present an alternative view.

In the past, Florida's August meetings have been dominated by Republicans and the Tea Party, denouncing Obamacare. It had an effect in polls, turning the public against the law even as most of its main features  -- when polled separately -- drew approval.

On Friday, while House Republicans stage their 40th vote to repeal the law, a vote that won't go anywhere in the Senate, two groups that back the ACA will hold a telephone news conference for reporters in Florida. It will feature Jackie Lee, who served as Florida campaign strategist for President Obama in 2008 and 2012.

As the Tampa Tribune reports, the grass-roots effort of Obamacare defenders will target 10 states, including Florida.

In South Florida on Wednesday, as the South Florida Sun-Sentinelreports, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz spoke up for the ACA at a center for cancer patients and their families.  She is a Democrat from Weston.

Meanwhile, Florida's Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio spoke out in favor of shutting down the government if that's what it takes to repeal the law.

Rubio and other Republicans "are on the wrong side of this," said Brad Woodhouse of Americans United for Change in a conference call on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.