Health Care Kamikazi Pilots Going AWOL

Some of the most vulnerable Democrats in the House are starting to flake off the health care bill.

There are a dozen first-term Democrats representing districts that Republican presidential nominee John McCain won last year. So far, six have announced that they will vote against their party’s health care bill.

Update, 5:43 p.m. ET: Now there are seven. The New York Daily News has just published a statement from hometown Rep. Michael McMahon, D-N.Y. He’s in the no column. “I believe the net negatives of this bill outweight the positive effects,” McMahon says.

Five of those announcements came today. All of the lawmakers who announced opposition cited concerns about the price tag of the legislation, estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to be more than $1 trillion over 10 years.

“After months of thoroughly reviewing legislative proposals and speaking with constituents and stakeholders, I am not satisfied that this bill before us is a sustainable solution,” said Rep. Frank Kratovil, D-Md. Alert readers will remember that he was the congressman hung in effigy during the height of the August town hall meeting uproar.

The other three Democratic freshmen from McCain districts who announced their opposition to the health care bill Friday are: Reps. Bobby Bright of Alabama, Walt Minnick of Idaho, and Suzanne Kosmas of Florida. Two who announced their opposition earlier: Reps. Travis Childers of Mississippi and Parker Griffith of Alabama. All but Griffith have announced their opposition since Election Day, when Democrats suffered humiliating defeats in the New Jersey and Virginia governors races.

Still on the fence: Reps. Tom Perriello, D-Va., John Boccieri, D-Ohio, Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., Betsy Markey, D-Colo., and Harry Teague, D-N.M.

Thanks to the indefatigable USA TODAY intern Andrew Seaman for helping us put together this rundown for you.