Latest GOP effort to undo Obamacare on the brink of failure

WASHINGTON - The latest Republican effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act stood on the brink of failure Friday after Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., announced his opposition and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she was leaning against it.

The intensifying resistance dealt a potentially decisive blow to the renewed attempt to fulfill a seven-year-old GOP promise. McCain joined Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in opposing the plan, leaving party leaders one senator from defeat.

Friday's developments forced Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and President Donald Trump into a difficult corner. They must now decide whether to continue to pursue a vote that increasingly appears likely to fail, or short-circuit the endeavor and deal with the backlash from their supporters.

Another GOP failure to undo Obamacare could have a seismic impact on the dynamic in Washington and the emerging contours of the 2018 midterm elections.

Trump's relationship with McConnell has grown sour since an earlier failure to repeal the law over the summer, and the current push represents a chance to repair that relationship. If it fails, Trump could turn on congressional Republicans more forcefully and be tempted to work with Democrats.

Many Republicans fear defeat also could depress the GOP political base headed into the midterms, creating an environment where GOP incumbents are ripe for primary challenges.

One overriding obstacle for Republicans, however, is that their efforts to roll back Obamacare are deeply unpopular among the broader public. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll released Friday showed that more than half of Americans (56 percent) prefer Obamacare to the latest GOP plan.

In a lengthy written statement, McCain said he 'cannot in good conscience” vote for the bill authored by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., which GOP leaders have been aiming to bring to the Senate floor next week. As he had done repeatedly in recent days, McCain railed against the hurried process.

'I would consider supporting legislation similar to that offered by my friends Sens. Graham and Cassidy were it the product of extensive hearings, debate and amendment. But that has not been the case,” McCain said. He blamed a looming Sept. 30 deadline to take advantage of a procedural rule allowing Republicans to pass the bill with as few as 50 Senate votes, plus Vice President Mike Pence as a tiebreaker.

Senate Republicans hold a narrow 52-48 majority, and Democratic senators are united against repealing or gutting President Barack Obama's signature health care law.

McCain also said he could not vote for a bill without a complete snapshot of its effects from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which has said it could provide only a partial picture by next week.

Collins also signaled she is edging close to becoming a definite 'no.”

Like McCain, she cast a key vote that doomed a repeal effort in July.

'I'm just trying to do what I believe is the right thing for the people of Maine,” she said.

Paul spokesman Sergio Gor reiterated his boss's opposition the bill, Trump threatened Paul and others on Twitter.

'Rand Paul, or whoever votes against Hcare Bill, will forever (future political campaigns) be known as ‘the Republican who saved ObamaCare,” Trump tweeted.

Paul - who objects to the legislation because it does not fully repeal Obamacare - responded with tweets saying he 'won't be bribed or bullied” into reconsidering.