Several Democrats urged their supporters to keep resisting and organizing in the wake of a major GOP health care defeat.
President Donald Trump instructed House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Friday to postpone a planned vote on the American Health Care Act after it became clear Republicans did not have the votes to pass the bill.
Several Democrats, including Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), gloated about the victory on social media. But many Democrats chose not to celebrate the moment, and several encouraged their followers not to rest on their laurels.
Former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Friday’s “victory” came about because people fought hard.
“We cannot forget: This victory happened because people in every corner of our country committed their time and energy to calling their representatives, showing up at town hall meetings, and making their voices heard,” Clinton said in a statement she shared on Twitter. “The fight isn’t over yet ― we will have to push back on future bad ideas and embrace good ones to make health care more affordable ― but we are reminded today that there is no substitute for standing up and defending our values.”
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) warned that Republicans “will try again.”
“The only reason it failed is because a number of Republicans felt that it did not do enough damage,” Ellison said in a statement Friday. “However, they will try again. Democrats, grassroots activists, and millions of Americans who don’t want to lose their coverage must be ready to mobilize like never before.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) urged people to channel their fears into action.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) claimed “resistance works.”
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) praised Americans who “raised their voices” in opposition to the GOP bill.
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) said people should learn a lesson from the Republicans’ defeat.
This post has been updated to include the statement from Clinton.
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