The leader of the House Freedom Caucus, Rep.Mark Meadows (R-NC) said Tuesday afternoon that there are enough holdouts among conservatives to prevent the GOP's ObamaCare repeal plan from winning passage on the floor, reports The Hill.
When asked if there remained at least 21 Freedom Caucus members opposed to the legislation, Meadows replied “yes.”
That’s the maximum number of defections House GOP leaders can afford to clinch passage of the bill in a vote planned for Thursday.
Freedom Caucus members said they’re still not convinced to get on board despite President Trump’s pitch to the GOP conference Tuesday morning.
Trump warned Republicans that they could they could lose their seats and the entire House majority in 2018 if they fail to repeal and replace ObamaCare.
Trump singled out Meadows at one point during the meeting, saying, “I think Mark Meadows will get there too.”
Meadows shrugged off the possibility he might face a primary challenger over opposing the repeal-and-replace plan.
“I don’t know too many people that can challenge me from the right,” Meadows told reporters in the Capitol.
“I believe that I’m representing them in opposing this bill because it won’t lower premiums, and until it does I’m going to be a no even if it sends me home,” Meadows added.
Meadows’ taking a moral stance on behalf of his constituents is amazing enough but listen to what Republican Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama said, after a Freedom Caucus meeting earlier today after Trump’s threat about losing in 2018: "We are standing firm as the only group of conservatives left in the United States congress.” Wow. Unless I miss my guess, all of congress is watching this with bated breath and it’s standing room only for the flies on the wall.