Both Sen. Corey Booker (left) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand have previously spoken positively about single-payer health care. | Alex Wilson/Getty Images Democratic foes of Trump flock to single-payer ahead of 2020

The Senate Democratic hell-no caucus is saying yes to single-payer health care.

Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Cory Booker of New Jersey are planning to co-sponsor Bernie Sanders' proposed "Medicare for All" bill when the Vermont independent releases it on Wednesday. They join Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon as backers of Sanders' plan — making single-payer six for six among the Democratic Party's most active opponents of President Donald Trump's nominees.


Sanders and his five fellow frequent Trump antagonists are not the only supporters of a single-payer health insurance system. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, who is working on his own legislation to allow individuals to buy into Medicaid, said last week that he and Sanders would be signing on to each other's proposals to advance the Democrats' health care debate.

But Sanders and the other five Democratic senators who have cast the most votes against Trump's nominees are also at the top of the party's short list to challenge the president in 2020, making their official support for single-payer legislation a key turning point for an idea that's also believed to be politically impossible in the short term.

"This is something that’s got to happen," Booker told NJTV News in his home state as he announced he would co-sponsor the Sanders bill. "Obamacare was a first step in advancing this country, but I won’t rest until every American has a basic security that comes with having access to affordable health care."

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A spokeswoman for Gillibrand, whose forthcoming support for the Sanders bill was first reported by Mic, did not return a request for comment.

Both Booker and Gillibrand have previously spoken positively about single-payer health care, as has Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), another potential 2020 contender working on a separate plan to let the general public buy into Medicare. Murphy told POLITICO last week that he is looking at whether to co-sponsor the Sanders bill, describing his proposal as a major step toward a single-payer system.

But Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who could vault higher in the party's 2020 sweepstakes if he wins a tough reelection battle next year, is not signing on to Sanders' bill. Instead, he is turning his attention to legislation that would let individuals 55 and older buy into Medicare.

“I have always been supportive of Medicare for all," Brown said in a Monday statement. "Right now, I’m focused on building bipartisan support for my bill to allow people to buy into the Medicare program at age 55, which will cut costs and expand choices for Ohioans.”