Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of the four sponsors of a Republican effort to overhaul Obamacare, said that he would continue to pursue his legislation even after losing critical support from Sen. John McCain, who announced his opposition to the bill Friday.
McCain, an Arizona Republican, became the second Republican senator to oppose the bill co-sponsored by Cassidy, of Louisiana, and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. The opposition from McCain, with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has imperiled the effort considered the last chance of repealing Obamacare.
“I am disappointed that Sen. John McCain is not voting to repeal and replace Obamacare,” Cassidy said Friday. “But, as long as there are families being penalized because they can’t afford insurance costing $30,000 to $40,000 a year, I will continue to work for those families.”
The statement follows a similar one from Graham who said he will “press on” with pushing for the bill that takes Obamacare funding and gives it to states via block grants.
But Republicans cannot afford any more Republicans to jump ship. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told a local paper she is leaning against the measure.
Senate GOP leadership has not announced whether it will cancel a vote planned on the bill next week. Republicans have until the end of the month before a tool to pass the bill with only 51 votes expires.
