Illinois Democrats remain obstacle for Obama on healthcare legislation

Despite hailing from the same state, President Barack Obama has been
unable to convince a group of Illinois Democrats to back the final
healthcare measure.

At least five are either leaning no or still undecided on backing the final effort to clear Obama’s top legislative priority.

{mosads}Making matters worse for Obama, who claims Chicago as home, is that all five of the lawmakers voted yes on the House version of the bill last year.

Illinois appears to have more uncommitted or “no” votes coming from Democrats than in any other state, even though most of the Prairie State’s Democratic delegation is expected to back the Senate bill and changes negotiated by House leaders.

A defection among Democrats from the president’s home state would be a political blemish if the bill passes. But if the vote fails, the president’s inability to win over his former Illinois colleagues would be seen as a major embarrassment.

Republicans are expected to vote en bloc against the measure, leaving Democrats with little room for party defections. If every member votes and all GOP lawmakers vote no, the maximum number of Democratic defections to pass a bill is 37, which would result in a 216-215 tally.

According to The Hill’s survey of Democrats, 36 are either firmly voting no, leaning no or likely to vote no on the final health bill. Another 50 are undecided.

Reps. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) and Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) are both “no” votes, their spokesmen said, as long as the Senate bill contains less stringent language dealing with funding for abortions.

Republicans hailed Costello’s “no” vote throughout the day Wednesday as further evidence that Obama is losing the healthcare battle despite delaying an overseas trip in order to shepherd the bill to passage.

Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) is undecided until he reads the final language detailing the changes, his spokeswoman said.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) might be Obama’s best hope for a yes. Gutierrez is still leaning no because of language in the Senate bill that prevents illegal immigrants from buying into the president’s proposed healthcare exchange even with their own money.

Gutierrez’s spokeswoman said Wednesday morning that the congressman still needs to see some significant changes to the bill before he can be counted on as a yes vote.

Repeated requests for comment to Rep. Melissa Bean’s (D-Ill.) office were not returned, and senior administration officials also declined to weigh in on whether losing these members would be particularly embarrassing for the president.

Some staffers said Cabinet members, including Transportation Secretary and former Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood (R), have been calling members for updates, but at least one staffer said there has not been any pressure from the president or Obama’s top aides.

Presidential pressure was key in changing the mind of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who on Wednesday morning — after flying with Obama aboard Air Force One to Ohio on Monday — announced that he would vote yes.