RENO, Nev. — Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., believes Republican lawmakers made a “big mistake” by pushing to repeal the Affordable Care Act as their first big legislative move at the outset of the Trump administration.

Heller, who is facing a bruising re-election fight in November, argued that Republicans could have moved repeal and replace legislation to the president’s desk if they had waited longer and dealt with tax reform and a transportation package from the start. Republicans, he said, “were not ready” for the battle they waged and paid the price.