GOP's healthcare problems multiply
Sen. John McCain’s unexpected absence from the Senate is just the latest thing to go wrong for the Senate Republican bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare, sapping it of almost all momentum.
GOP leaders hoped to vote on the measure this week, but emergency surgery for the Arizona Republican will keep him away from Congress for at least a week — and possibly longer.
That is giving outside groups more time to spend millions on campaign ads attacking the legislation and pressure swing voters to reconsider.
“Right now there’s no momentum at all to pass this bill,” said Ron Bonjean, who formerly served as a senior Republican leadership aide in the Senate and House.
Bill Hoagland, a former senior Republican Senate aide, said another delay is bad news for the GOP.
“My initial reaction is that it makes it tougher. It gives an opportunity for the opposition, which was pretty strong or growing, to grow even stronger,” he said.
Rank-and-file senators are voicing loud concerns about the bill. Worse, behind-the-scenes efforts by GOP leaders to win over some of their colleagues risk losing support from others.
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/342433-gops-healthcare-problems-multiply
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