Two More Dems to Vote 'No' on Healthcare Takeover

Stay up-to-date on the lateset vote tally at GOP Code Red.

From The Plum Line: “Move two more House Dems into the No camp. Dem Rep Ben Chandler of Kentucky, a prominent Blue Dog who voted No last time but has since been undecided, will vote against the Senate bill. “Congressman Chandler’s position on the bill remains the same,” Chandler spokesperson Jennifer Krimm tells our reporter Ryan Derousseau. “He expects to vote against the legislation.” Separately, Dem Rep Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, an influential member of the Congressional Hispanic caucus who voted Yes last time, is also a No vote, his spokesperson confirms. There was some confusion this morning about Gutierrez’s intentions, after he said on MSNBC that the immigration language in the bill was “enough” to say he can’t “support” it. But his spokesperson emails over a statement from the Congressman clarifying that he’s voting No. “At this time, I am a ‘no’ vote on health care,” Gutierrez said in the statement. Where does this leave us? Right now, things are too in flux to provide a reliable whip count number. The upshot, however, is that each firm No reduces the ever-shrinking margin for error House Dem leaders are operating within. Also: These new No votes from the Blue Dog and Hispanic caucuses underscore how fragile and thinly stretched the coalition Pelosi is trying to assemble really is.”