Harwell doubts Insure Tennessee has enough votes to pass

February 4, 2015 at 4:38 p.m. | Updated February 5, 2015 at 9:35 a.m.

by Andy Sher

House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, speaks at a joint conference of the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business and the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association in Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015.
House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, speaks at a joint conference of the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business and the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association in Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015.

Tennessee Republican House Speaker Beth Harwell said this afternoon that she doesn't think Gov. Bill Haslam's Insure Tennessee plan has enough votes to pass the chamber.

Harwell's comment came after she informally polled members of the 73-member Republican Caucus that dominated the 99-member house.

"I don't think we have the support," Harwell told reporters after a House recess.

The plan needs 50 votes to pass. There are 26 Democrats, most of whom are supporting it with the possible exception of one or two members.

That means at least 25 Republicans would need to support the plan.

What ended up happening:

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