'No' Votes Adding Up to Trouble for Pelosi

A new survey of Democrats could mean a big political headache for Nancy Pelosi. The Hill rounds up 25 in the House who are expected to vote "no" on health care reform. Pelosi can afford no more than 37 defections, and the count doesn't include the 12 Stupak Democrats who are threatening to sink the bill over abortion language or members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus who might do the same over immigration provisions.

The Stupak predicament is the more difficult problem, writes Bob Cusack. "If leadership doesn't make changes to the abortion language and Stupak does indeed have 12 votes in his pocket, it will be very difficult to pass a bill. Yet if they do change the provisions, supporters of abortion rights in the House will threaten to vote no."
(More health care reform stories.)