Key Trump aide: ObamaCare repeal ‘not dead’

White House legislative affairs director Marc Short on Sunday insisted that the Republican effort to repeal ObamaCare is not dead, despite a lack of support from several key GOP senators.

“No, Chris, it’s not dead,” Short told Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday” when asked if the legislation is doomed.

“Here we are, just days away from a final vote and we’ve trying to win over the support of the last couple senators to get there,” he added.

Short’s comments come several days after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), one of the Republican senators who voted against a July repeal bill, came out against the legislation. The bill is being pushed by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close friend of McCain.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has also announced his opposition.

{mosads}Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told CNN’s “State of the Union” early Sunday that it is “very difficult” to see a situation in which she would support the bill, which repeals much of ObamaCare by converting funding into block grants for states.

“We need to make sure that those last couple Republicans we win over,” Short said during his television appearance.

Short also said he hopes Republicans can get Paul’s support, pointing to entitlement reform — an issue Paul has long stressed.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who also voted against the repeal effort in July, has yet to say whether or not she will support the legislation.