Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said Friday that he heard an audible gasp from his fellow Democrats when Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., voted against his party's healthcare bill.
"We didn't really believe that that was going to happen, and then it did," Merkley said on CNN's "New Day."
Although Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the bill's defeat should not be celebrated by Democrats, Merkley did refer to the vote as a "victory."
"I really wanted to make sure that grassroots America knew how important they were in this. They really set the stage," he said on CNN. "It was just a grassroots moment that overwhelmed Capitol Hill."
Merkley said earlier this week that he had over 100 amendments prepared for the bill, hoping to force a series of votes that would delay its passing.
"The number of people who would be harmed by the dismantling of health care is so long that it would be impossible to list them all — but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try," he told Willamette Week.
"If the GOP is intent on ramming their destructive bill through, they should have to face head-on the disastrous effects it will have for America's veterans, children, cancer patients, and the peace of mind for every family across this country," Merkley added.
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