Republicans are not in the position to lose votes
if they hope to repeal ObamaCare, so pressure is being placed on
senators like Sen. Dean Heller, R- Nev., to declare allegiance on the
newly crafted bill.
If Heller supports the bill, he
would likely be parting ways with Nevada's popular GOP Gov. Brian
Sandoval in a state that did not support President Donald Trump in the
2016 presidential election.
But if he opposes the bill, conservative groups will
likely come after them like they did earlier this year after he opposed
the GOP's initial health care bill.
And Democrats plan to target his seat either way in next year's mid-term elections.
Trump on Friday tweeted encouragement to Republicans
on the Hill to "do what is right for the people" and get their "failed
ObamaCare replacement approved."
Trump declared a day earlier that failure would make
him "very angry" and that he would blame Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell, R-Ky.
“I will be at my desk, pen in hand!” Trump tweeted.
The reworked bill Sen. Mitch McConnell presented to
fellow Republicans aims to win conservatives' support by letting
insurers sell low-cost, skimpy policies. At the same time, he seeks to
placate hesitant moderates by adding billions to combat opioid abuse and
help consumers with skyrocketing insurance costs.
Fox News' Sean Hannity took aim Thursday night at
Republican senators who expressed skepticism of or opposition to the
revised health care measure that would repeal and replace ObamaCare.
"You made us a promise, the American people, for
seven years. You guaranteed you’d end ObamaCare," the "Hannity" host
said. "You assured all of us you would develop a health care bill that
actually worked for the American people. Stop your whining, roll up your
sleeves, get to work, put your egos aside, get it done."
Last month, a pro-Trump group reportedly planned to launch the seven-figure ad campaign against Heller.
Heller is up for re-election in 2018 and is considered one of the most vulnerable GOP senators.
"Obamacare is collapsing. This is a crisis for the
American people. There is no excuse for any Republican or Democrat to
oppose the Senate health care bill outright," Brian Walsh, president of
the group, said in a statement at the time. "Senator Heller ... appears
to be heading down a path with Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and the
radical left."