Sens. John McCain and Lisa Murkowski are poised to reprise their roles as the two Republicans most likely to decide the fate of the Senate's latest Obamacare replacement plan, The Hill reported.
McCain's infamous thumbs-down of the Senate's skinny repeal in July put the finishing touches on that defeat; Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, cast the other two "nay" votes on that measure.
Now, with Graham-Cassidy barreling toward a vote before a key Sept. 30 deadline, Republicans are faced with another tough nose count:
Sen. Rand Paul is a very public and definite no, meaning the fate of the bill can afford just one more "nay" vote from McCain, Murkowski or Collins, assuming zero Democrats vote for the measure.
All three are mulling the bill and undecided at this point:
The smart money is on Collins to vote no, so can Republicans reel in both McCain and Murkowski?
"I am not supportive of the bill yet," McCain said Monday. "We'll talk more about it. I'll talk with my governor and all that. I want regular order."
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey supports the measure, but he also supported the skinny repeal, which McCain rejected.
Meanwhile, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker opposes it, but Murkowski is doing her due diligence.
"In fairness to my governor, in fairness to Alaskans, the numbers actually matter and so if it can be shown that Alaska is not going to be disadvantaged, we gain additional flexibility, then I can go back to Alaskans and I can say, 'OK, let's walk through this together,'" Murkowski said Tuesday. "But I don't have that right now, so those that have asked, 'Where are you, where are you,' it's not that I'm being evasive, it's that I'm being diligent."
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