Florida Dems Suzanne Kosmas — a freshman legislator who ousted a Republican in 2008 — and Blue Dog Dem Allen Boyd were among just 39 Democrats voting against the health care bill as it narrowly cleared the House with a 220 to 215 vote margin. South Florida Democrats Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kendrick Meek, Ron Klein, Alcee Hastings and Robert Wexler voted in favor.
Citing editorials in the Miami Herald and St. Petersburg Times in support of the measure, Meek said the legislation will "stem our
state’s epidemic of the uninsured. The time came for Congress to act, and
we delivered on our promise to the American people."
South Florida's Republicans voted no, with Mario Diaz-Balart calling it a "monstrosity" that will "kill jobs, devastate Medicare, impose huge tax increases and force states to make reductions in education and public safety funding."
Related posts:
- Florida Republican introduces legislation to repeal health care as Bill Nelson prepares to announce how he’ll vote
- Dems press Republicans in Obama-friendly districts — including Ros-Lehtinen — to vote for the health care bill
- Charlie Crist presses Kendrick Meek on health care vote
- AARP Florida lauds Bill Nelson vote on health care bill, criticizes George LeMieux/Crist and Rubio pan the plan
- Allen Boyd to vote yes on health care, Dems claim the big mo