Health Vote Flip Could Hurt Rep. Suzanne Kosmas in November

Two of the critical votes pushing the federal health care plan to victory came from two Florida Democrats who switched their votes. But will they pay a political price?

Florida’s congressional delegation split down party lines on the health care bill.

But two of those Democrats voted no on health care legislation last year. Freshman Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, changed her vote from December, calling this bill more fiscally responsible.

Congressman Allen Boyd of North Florida switched to yes, citing the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate that it will lower health care costs over time.

University of South Florida Political Science Professor Susan MacManus says Kosmas is the most vulnerable. Her district traditionally votes Republican – it voted for John McCain over Barack Obama, 54-45 percent.

A story on the Web site Politico.com listed Kosmas as among the most vulnerable incumbents in 2010, because she switched her vote.

But Kosmas won big in 2008 over incumbent Tom Feeney – 57 to 41 percent – in part because of Feeney’s ethics troubles. And McManus says Kosmas is known for providing good constituent service.

MacManus believes jobs and not health care will be the most important issue for voters this fall, especially with Florida’s high jobless rate.

“She may get by this time as well because she has argued for other things like job creation like more jobs at NASA,” she said.

Obama recently met with Kosmas about changing her vote, and she says she talked with him about the Administration’s space plans, which could eliminate thousands of jobs in her district, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

She says there was no quid pro quo. Obama has announced he will come to Florida for a space summit in April.

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