Senator John McCain, a key Republican swing vote on the upper chamber’s tax reform legislation, announced Thursday morning that he will vote yes despite reservations about what he sees are the measure’s imperfections.
“I take seriously the concerns some of my Senate colleagues have raised about the impact of this bill on the deficit. However, it’s clear this bill’s net effect on our economy would be positive,” the senior Arizona senator said in a statement. “This is not a perfect bill, but it is one that would deliver much-needed reform to our tax code, grow the economy, and help Americans keep more of their hard-earned money.”
McCain, who was one of three GOP lawmakers who sunk the Senate’s last-ditch Obamacare repeal earlier this year, helps the majority inch closer to the 50 yea votes it needs to approve the legislation. The package was cleared for consideration before the full chamber this week, with all 52 Republicans voting in favor. Its fate is in the hands of about one-fifth of the party’s caucus.
Senators Susan Collins, Bob Corker, Steve Daines, Jeff Flake, Ron Johnson, John Kennedy, Mike Lee, Jerry Moran, and Marco Rubio all have expressed concerns about various aspects of the bill. The most widely-shared one is the legislation’s effect of the federal deficit. But Collins has mentioned the measure’s inclusion of repeal of Obamacare’s individual mandate as a possible sticking point, and Lee and Rubio want a more robust child tax credit.
None of these members, however, are firm no votes. There is widespread speculation among lobbyists and the Washington reporting corps that the legislation ultimately will pass 52-48.
Correction: This post originally claimed that Dean Heller was among those with concerns.
