Cantor takes lead on O-Care replacement

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) is taking the lead on crafting the GOP’s ObamaCare replacement proposal.

{mosads}The extraordinarily tough task faces many obstacles and is complicated by election-year politics and an unruly GOP Conference.

But Cantor believes the Republicans must shake their “party of no” reputation, and passing an ObamaCare replacement bill is part of that strategy.

Most, if not all, Democrats will reject whatever Cantor produces. To pass a bill through the House, Republicans will need to keep defections to about 20 or fewer. That will be a tall order.

For years, Republicans have promised a “Repeal and Replace” strategy on ObamaCare, but have never coalesced behind one plan. President Obama has repeatedly mocked the GOP for not delivering an alternative.

Cantor intends to move a repeal-and-replace bill before the mid-term elections in November, according to a source familiar with the situation. Cantor broached the issue at the House GOP retreat in Cambridge, Md. late last week.

“I think it is very likely that we’re going to have it before the election, we’re going to give the people — or at least we are going to try to give the people — a clear distinction of who we are versus who the Democrats are,” Florida Rep. Tom Rooney (R) said.

Read more on The Hill.