CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
Nov. 8, 2009 – 8:46 a.m.
Party-Buckers on Health Care Vote Mostly From ‘Purple’ Seats
By Greg Giroux, CQ-Roll Call
Four out of five House Democrats who voted against the health care bill represent districts that voted for John McCain over Barack Obama in the 2008 election.
And the only Republican who bolted from the party line also represents a district that voted both red and blue, sending the GOP candidate to Congress while going big for Obama.
The party-buckers on the 220-215 vote on Saturday night included 39 Democrats who voted against the bill. Of them, 31 represent districts that voted for the opposing party’s presidential candidate. Republicans are targeting many of them for defeat in the 2010 election. Of the other eight, three are serving their first terms in districts in which they defeated or succeeded Republicans in 2008.
Eighteen Democrats from McCain-voting districts backed the bill. Among this subset, seven-term Rep. Marion Berry of Arkansas represents the most pro-McCain district (59 percent). He’s more politically secure than other “McCain Democrats” who voted for the bill, including first-term Rep. Tom Perriello of Virginia and second-term Rep. Zack Space of Ohio.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) blasted Perriello for his vote, issuing a press release that said “ Tom Perriello ’s career was pronounced dead” after his vote. Perriello said that the bill would reduce federal deficits, is fair to rural hospitals and bans federal funding of abortion.
The lone “yes” Republican vote came from Anh “Joseph” Cao of Louisiana, whose New Orleans-based district gave Obama 75 percent of the vote last year. Cao was elected last year in large part because Democratic Rep. William J. Jefferson was under indictment on corruption charges, and he’s opposed his party more frequently than any other House Republican.
Some members who opposed their party’s consensus position still drew fire from the opposition party. Louisiana Democratic state Sen. Cedric Richmond, who is challenging Cao, criticized the congressman for voting earlier Saturday for a Republican-written alternative health care proposal that every Democrat voted against, as well as a Republican “motion to recommit” the Democratic bill back to committee. And the NRCC accused Rep. Betsy Markey , who represents a conservative-leaning district in Colorado, of announcing her “no” vote only after it was clear Democrats had the votes to pass the bill.
Democrats from McCain-voting districts who voted “no” (31): Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania; John Boccieri of Ohio; Dan Boren of Oklahoma; Rick Boucher of Virginia; Allen Boyd of Florida; Bobby Bright of Alabama; Ben Chandler of Kentucky; Travis Childers of Mississippi; Lincoln Davis of Tennessee; Chet Edwards of Texas; Bart Gordon of Tennessee; Parker Griffith of Mississippi; Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota; Tim Holden of Pennsylvania; Suzanne Kosmas of Florida; Frank Kratovil of Maryland; Betsy Markey of Colorado; Jim Marshall of Georgia; Eric Massa of New York; Jim Matheson of Utah; Mike McIntyre of North Carolina; Michael McMahon of New York; Charlie Melancon of Louisiana; Walt Minnick of Idaho; Collin Peterson of Minnesota; Mike Ross of Arkansas; Heath Shuler of North Carolina; Ike Skelton of Missouri; John Tanner of Tennessee; Gene Taylor of Mississippi; and Harry Teague of New Mexico.
Republicans from Obama-voting districts who voted “yes” (1): Anh “Joseph” Cao of Louisiana.




Comments
Not to detract from the article, but I believe Bart Gordon's district voted for Pres. Obama, as I am from that district. One of the counties even went Democrat this time.
Bart Gordon's district went voted 62 % McCain. It's a very GOP district on the presidential level and only went Democrat a few times since 1968. Even Al Gore, who was its former congressman, lost it to George Bush in 2000.
Are they prepared to see the entire package collapse when the "individual mandate" on insurance is ruled Unconstitutional?
Isn't it funny - how whether right or wrong the Republicans tow the line - like getting us into debt over eight years and then complain cause someone is trying to get our heads above water. Republicans believe war makes our country prosper, don't care about the deaths of our service people. Then, there are Democrats who aren't Democrats in their hearts they are Republicans - they don't care about America.. Republicans can tell lie upon lie and that's okay . A Democrat President is suppose to magically in 10 months undo what their party did in Eight years of lies and un-American deeds - war that was not warranted- by liying --If that isn't LAME, what is? Spokes people on TV for Republicans sound like they don't have a brain among them. Sorry they think Americans swallow their twisted words.
Parker Griffith is from Alabama, not Mississippi. We'd be willing to trade him for Haley Barbour, however.
jim Mc Shane or is that Mc Dumb if you cant see what this pres is doing to are country,maybe you should leave it. he spent over one million and a half dollars to fight not showing his birth cert. now isnt that kind of wierd. I wouldnt have any thing to hide .Id just bring it all out.
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