Senator John McCain shocked his party when he turned his thumb down and voted “no” to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But it was two staunch female Republican senators — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine — who fought the Senate repeal from the start.
The professions of a desire for cooperation on changing the Affordable Care Act were as profuse on Friday as the short-term outlook for tangible results was grim.
The fact that the plan came up well short of even 50 votes was an ominous sign for Republican leaders still grappling with a formula to pass final health care legislation later this week.