Some Local Dems Vote No on Healthcare

New York, NY —

The holdouts held out, but almost all local Congressional representatives supported Sunday's historic vote for health care reform.

New York had two Democratic "No" votes, New Jersey, one and Connecticut, none, while the Republicans were in lockstep opposition. Unions and grassroots groups tried to pressure first-term Staten Island Democrat Mike McMahon, but he opposed an earlier House version of the bill and has remained staunchly, if quietly, against his party's majority ever since.

Unlike others, McMahon has offered virtually no public statements accounting for his vote until Sunday night, when he said his chief concern was the reform bill's effect on funding for hospitals in his district.

Syracuse and southern New Jersey dissidents Michael Arcuri and John Adler both said they were voting no because they thought the bill would not fix problems with the health care system.

Democrats who supported the bill also acknowledged the health care system would still need work, but said the legislation is a step in the right direction.