Republicans seek Democratic Allies in Healthcare fight

Newly empowered congressional Republicans plan to chip away at the health care reform law next year — and they're hoping a handful of at-risk or moderate Senate Democrats will help them out. (See: Republicans Push Health Care Repeal)

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin won a Senate seat vowing to repeal "the bad parts of Obamacare," and Republican aides say they'll hold him to it. Republicans are also eyeing Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Jim Webb of Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana — Democratic senators in red or reddish states who will face voters in 2012. (See: Republican Party Eyes Choking Health Law Funding)

“Not only do you have new Democrats coming in who have campaigned against health care, you have Democrats up in 2012 who are running in relatively red states,” a senior Republican Senate aide told POLITICO. (See: Democrats Run Away From Health Care)

With a big new majority in the House, Republicans will have little trouble passing whatever they want, including a full repeal of the health care reform law. But Republicans don't have a majority in the Senate, so even modest changes to the law will require the help of centrist Democrats — or at least scared ones.


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