GOP rep changes healthcare vote from ‘no’ to ‘hell no’

by Rebecca Savransky - 03/22/17 4:53 PM ET

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Wednesday said he is changing his vote on the GOP ObamaCare replacement legislation — sort of.

Amid a pressure campaign by House GOP leadership and the White House to get more Republicans to vote “yes,” Massie tweeted that he is changing his vote from “no” to “hell no.”

“Sorry if I let you down,” he tweeted Wednesday. “I’m changing my vote on #AHCA“

Sorry if I let you down. I’m changing my vote on #AHCA pic.twitter.com/JLUotqaO9L

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 22, 2017

Massie told the Washington Examiner earlier this month that the bill was a “stinking pile of garbage.”

{mosads}”I think the [American Healthcare Act] was written by the same people that wrote Obamacare,” he told the publication.

“That’s why it looks so similar. It was the insurance lobby.”

House GOP leaders insist they are going forward with Thursday’s scheduled vote on their ObamaCare replacement legislation despite threats from conservatives.

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was asked during a Fox News interview if the Thursday vote would be delayed if the GOP doesn’t have the votes.

“I’m not going to get into hypotheticals,” Ryan said.

“We’re not losing votes; we’re adding votes, and we feel like we’re getting really, really close.”

According to The Hill’s Whip List, 24 House Republicans are voting no, with another six leaning or likely no and 15 uncertain. The bill will fail the House if more than 21 Republicans join all Democrats in opposing it.

Tags Paul Ryan