Senate rejects Obamacare repeal. In dramatic floor vote, McCain 'no' vote helps upend slimmed down repeal.

Politico reports:

The Senate Republicans’ push to dismantle Obamacare collapsed in dramatic fashion early Friday morning, when two centrist GOP women and Sen. John McCain of Arizona teamed to sink an already scaled-back effort to dismantle the 2010 health care law.

McCain and GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska sided with all 48 Democrats to reject the Republicans’ so-called skinny repeal plan, tanking the measure by a vote of 49-51. The Senate GOP had already pretty much shunned the proposal, viewing it mostly as a route to go into negotiations with the House.

But in gripping floor drama that began to unfold after midnight Friday, it appeared McCain had his mind made up that he would be the pivotal third vote to kill off the GOP's Obamacare repeal effort. Vice President Mike Pence talked to him at length, but it didn’t seem to change the Arizonan’s mind.
"I do my job as a senator," McCain said after he left the Senate chamber, saying he voted against the Obamacare repeal bill "because I thought it was the right vote." He said he wouldn't go through his thought process.

Later, McCain issued a statement offering a more thorough explanation of his vote, saying that he has always believed that Obamacare should be repealed and replaced with a solution that "increases competition, lowers costs and improves care for the American people."

McCain said the "skinny repeal" that he voted down "would not accomplish those goals." While it would repeal "some of Obamacare’s most burdensome regulations" McCain said it didn't offer an adequate replacement. McCain said the "skinny repeal" that he voted down "would not accomplish those goals." While it would repeal "some of Obamacare’s most burdensome regulations" McCain said it didn't offer an adequate replacement. He called for committee work, hearings and bipartisan input in the weeks ahead, the same tone he’d taken when a different repeal and replace effort collapsed earlier this month.

Senator John McCain important supporter of ObamaCare.