Health care holdout Heller attends Trump re-election fundraiser

WASHINGTON — A $10 million fundraiser to aid the re-election of President Donald Trump was attended by Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, one of a group of lawmakers whose opposition doomed a Senate vote on the repeal and replacement of Obamacare this week.

Heller was part of a small group of Republican lawmakers who attended the soiree Wednesday night at Trump International Hotel.

Opposition to the Senate health care bill’s cuts to Medicaid and Medicaid expansion led Heller to publicly say he would oppose the bill, which was pulled from floor consideration this week when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell deemed a lack of support for a procedural vote to advance the legislation.

Trump did not single out Heller during the fundraiser, but Steve Wynn, a Las Vegas casino owner and the Republican National Committee finance chairman, jabbed the Nevada senator in remarks that urged GOP lawmakers to pass the bill, according to the Associated Press.

“Our team has worked hand in hand with the RNC this year in Nevada,” said Thomas Ferraro with the Heller campaign. “The effort our combined teams along with the Nevada GOP has put together is seamless and impressive, and we appreciate everyone’s hard work.”

Heller remains in negotiations with other senators who are trying to rewrite the Senate bill that has garnered opposition from conservatives and moderates alike.

Trump barred reporters from attending the event, a break from previous presidents who held fundraisers in their first terms.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or at 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.