Capping off a nailbiter late-night session, a stripped-down version of a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed in the Senate 49-51, with Arizona Sen. John McCain splitting from fellow Republicans to cast the deciding vote.
The vote on the so-called “Skinny Repeal” came just after 1:30 AM ET, following hours of efforts by GOP leaders, including Vice President Mike Pence, to convince Republicans, like Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, to vote yea. Neither budged, and in the end the effort concentrated on McCain, who, as it happens, on Tuesday helped make early Friday’s vote possible.