Mitch McConnell shows the audience at CPAC 2013 how much white paper the Affordable Care Act really contains.
Credit: Washington Post

In a somewhat surprising announcement Tuesday, the Obama administration revealed they are delaying the enforcement of the employer mandate for a year.

Delaying the requirement until 2015 represents an enormous victory for businesses that had lobbied against the healthcare law.

It also means that one of healthcare reform’s key requirements will be implemented after the 2014 midterm elections, when ObamaCare is expected to be a key issue for vulnerable Democrats.

This gives cover to those vulnerable Democrats in the 2014 midterm elections by delaying another painful effect of the president’s signature health-insurance law, but also gives the GOP another chance to campaign for the end of ObamaCare.

The numbers point to 2014 being one of the best opportunities in recent memory for Republicans to retake the Senate. Democrats will be defending 21 seats while the GOP defends 14. Also, 13 of the 14 Republican seats up for re-election are in fairly safe red states, while only 14 of the 21 Democratic seats in this cycle are in solid blue states, leaving 7 possible pickups for the GOP and only 1 for the Democrats.

Whether or not delaying this mandate helps the Democrats hold onto those vulnerable seats remains to be seen.