These are the front pages undecided GOP senators woke up to this morning
As Senate Republicans appear to be delaying a vote on their health care bill until after the July recess, its support among the GOP appears to be dwindling more by the day.
Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Dean Heller (Nev.) indicated that they cannot support the bill because of its drastic cuts to Medicaid, while Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) Ted Cruz (Texas), Mike Lee (Utah) and Ron Johnson (Wis.) have all indicated they don't support the bill because it isn't conservative enough.
Adding to their challenge is yesterday's devastating report from the Congressional Budget Office, which predicted that the bill would kick 22 million people off of their health insurance over the next decade. Newspapers around the country printed the news about the potentially disastrous effects of the bill on their front pages.
Mic compiled newspaper front pages from the biggest newspapers in 18 states where senators are still on the fence about the bill. Fourteen feature a front-page story about the health care bill, 10 of which lead with the CBO report specifically. Here are all of the undecided senators' most recent statements regarding their position on the bill; beneath each is an image of the front page of the Tuesday issue of a prominent paper from their respective state.
Front pages via the Newseum.
Senators' positions via the New York Times.
Alaska
The Alaska Dispatch News gave the CBO score the A1 above-the-fold treatment with the bold headline "CBO: 22 million would join uninsured." Noted moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she will "thoroughly review" the bill, and Sen. Dan Sullivan said he plans to "read every word."
Arizona
The Arizona Republic gave its lead story to a state fight over family-planning funding, and only mentioned the health care bill in a story about local concerns positioned at the bottom of the front page, below the fold. Sen. Jeff Flake said he is “going to take time to thoroughly read and review it,” and Sen. John McCain said he is "looking forward to thoroughly examining this legislation.”
Colorado
The Denver Post also led with the story at the top of their front page with a big, bold headline: "22M more left uninsured." (The Post's second-billed story? A wandering moose.) Sen. Cory Gardner said he is “beginning to carefully review" the legislation.
Florida
The Miami Herald put the story in the left column of its front page, reserving its marquee spot for a story about the Supreme Court decision to hear arguments on Trump's travel ban. Sen. Marco Rubio said he will "decide how to vote.”
Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also led with a story about the travel ban decision, relegating the CBO score to the lower right-hand corner of its front page. Sen. Johnny Isakson said he is "fully and thoroughly reviewing the draft," while Sen. David Perdue noted that he expects changes: "This will not be the final bill," Perdue said. "but I’m hopeful that we can resolve the remaining disagreements”
Iowa
The Des Moines Register gave the story a prominent spot on its front page, focusing on the effect that the Senate bill would have on Iowa's elderly. Sen. Joni Ernst said she is "carefully looking through" the bill, while Sen. Charles E. Grassley said he's "studying it."
Indiana
The Indianapolis Star put the story just below their lead on the travel ban, focusing on Democratic Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly's reaction to the bill. GOP Sen. Todd Young said he is "reviewing the discussion draft."
Kansas
The Wichita Eagle in Kansas was one of few big state papers to keep the health care law off its front page, opting instead for a 4th of July special story on firework safety. Sen. Jerry Moran has not said whether or not he supports the bill, saying instead, "If this bill isn't good for Kansas, it isn't good for me."
Louisiana
Louisiana’s Times-Picayune ceded the biggest space above the fold to the College World Series, but ran a column along the side bearing the headline "22 million may lose insurance under GOP bill."
The hometown press is making sure people know that millions will lose insurance if this bill passes.e makes him "more concerned" while Sen. John Kennedy said he'll "be reading through the Senate health care bill this weekend," though he also noted a need to "fix the unmitigated disaster that is Obamacare."
Montana
Montana's Great Falls Tribune also left the health care bill off their front page, opting instead for a local story about a bomb found in a Montana resident's home. Sen. Steve Daines said he looks forward to "hearing directly from Montanans" about the bill.
Ohio
Cleveland's Plain Dealer led with the CBO score, albeit with a lukewarm "CBO weighs in on health bill costs" headline. Sen. Rob Portman said he has "real concerns about the Medicaid policies in this bill."
North Carolina
The Charlotte Observer in North Carolina put the health care bill on the top fold of their front page with the headline "Projected Senate bill result: 22 million uninsured." Sen. Thom Tillis said he looks forward to "carefully reviewing the draft."
North Dakota
The Forum of Fargo, North Darkota, left the health care bill off its front page, focusing instead on issues at a local state college. Sen. John Hoeven said he "will review this legislation."
Nebraska
The Omaha World-Herald put the story on the lower-lefthand side of its front page with the headline "Numbers daunting for Senate measure." Sen. Ben Sasse said he is "looking forward to a few hours of reading time" to go over the bill.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoman left the health care bill off its front page, leading with a hometown hero story about newly named NBA MVP Russell Westbrook. Sen. James M. Inhofe and Sen. James Lankford said they are "continuing to review the details of the bill."
South Carolina
The Post and Courier put the CBO score at the top of its front page with the headline "Bill would leave 22 million more uninsured." Sen. Lindsey Graham said he "will carefully review this legislation."
Tennessee
The Knoxville News Sentinel featured the story on its front page below a story about Trump's travel ban. Their story focused on the effect the bill would have on the individual insurance market. Sen. Bob Corker said he will "take time to fully review the legislative text."
West Virginia
West Virginia's Charleston Gazette-Mail devoted the most prime real estate of any of the big state papers to health care, running two stories on its front page: one about the CBO's dire prediction, and another about six people who were arrested while protesting the bill at Sen. Shelley Moore Capito's office. Capito said she "will review the draft legislation."
