We’ve discussed several times in recent days the legislative principle of safety in numbers. No one wants to face the full weight of public pressure alone or be left standing when the music stops. Just as much, no one wants to stick their neck out for an unpopular piece of legislation when it’s not going to pass anyway. Sure enough, when McConnell (at least temporarily) pulled the legislation yesterday, three more senators came forward to say they were also nos all along.
The three Senators are Moran (KS) (who tweeted his non-support) and Capito (WV) and Portman (OH) who issued a joint statement. Notably, none issued the kind of sweeping statements of opposition we heard from Heller, Collins and Paul. Moran said the bill “missed the mark for Kansans and therefore did not have my support.” Capito and Portman’s statement is long on “concerns” about basically everything but is notably vague on any point that would make it hard to support a substantively similar bill.
As we’ve discussed, yesterday’s defeat is only a temporary one. Making this happen is now considerably harder for McConnell. But he and the Senate leadership are going to do everything possible to make it happen in July and they have a good shot at doing so, especially if they can find a let up in the public protests against Trumpcare. The key question now is whether opponents of Trumpcare will be able to make the most of those senators now running for cover and saying they were never going to support the bill. The key questions are: Why? What level of coverage loss would be acceptable? 12 million losing their coverage as opposed to 15 million? Over three years as opposed to next year.
This is still a very close run thing. But this is the moment to do everything possible to put obstacles in the way of Senate Republicans trying to make their way back to McConnell after running for cover now.
