Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) became the 35th senator to declare support for passing a public option via reconciliation, her office confirms to TPMDC.
Cantwell told the Huffington Post that she’d vote for a public option under reconciliation, if the Senate parliamentarian OK’s it.
“If the parliamentarian says you can and it can all work, yes,” she said. “If it works, fine.”
Progressive groups, led by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, have been pushing senators to publicly support passing a public option via reconciliation. The effort started with a letter written by Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) urging leadership to use the filibuster-proof procedure for the public option.
But many insiders, including those in the White House, don’t believe the public option has enough support to pass.
Click here for a running list of senators who have recently declared support for the public option.
