It's for just one congressional seat for about eight months, but Tuesday's special election in Florida has taken on huge political significance. National Republicans are framing Tuesday's special election as a referendum on Obamacare. But their message -- plus a flood of outside spending by Democrats focused on the issue of Social Security -- is drowning out other issues in the race, Republican candidate David Jolly says. His Democratic opponent, Alex Sink, isn't shying away from the health care debate, touting the law's benefits and saying she's open to improvements. Both parties are looking at this race as a testing ground for their messages going into the midterm elections. Florida's 13th District is one of a small number of competitive ones, and Republicans and Democrats say the tight race here will come down to which campaign gets its supporters out.
@highlight
Both parties are testing messages for fall midterms in Tuesday's special election
@highlight
Republicans trying use Obamacare to frame midterm elections
@highlight
Republican candidate says outside anti-Obamacare ads are drowning other issues
@highlight
Democrat is confronting Obamacare debate, saying there's room for improvement
Obamacare
Obamacare
Obamacare
She also said @placeholder's current requirement that businesses with more than 50 employees offer health insurance is "an arbitrary number" and says she wants to work across party lines to adjust the law to avoid any "unintended consequences," such as keeping businesses from expanding.
Republican
Republicans
Republican
Jolly reiterates the @placeholder mantra that Obamacare must be repealed altogether.
Republican
Republicans
Republican
Some @placeholder worry that the bright line the party is drawing about repealing Obamacare isn't the right tactic.
Republican
Republicans
Republican
This district is split down the political middle -- 37% of those registered to vote are @placeholder, about 35% are Democrats and 28% are unaffiliated or back a third-party candidate.
Florida
Florida
@placeholder allows absentee voting by mail, and well over half of those who were mailed ballots have returned them.
Republican
Republicans
Republican
If Jolly wins on Tuesday, @placeholder will certainly say retaining this competitive seat is a validation of their plan to make Obamacare the central issue this fall.