Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) was one of two GOP lawmakers to vote no on Tuesday’s motion to proceed, a step allowing the Senate to begin debate on its Obamacare repeal efforts. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Trump: Murkowski 'really let the Republicans, and our country, down'

Sen. Lisa Murkowski appears to have earned the ire of President Donald Trump on Tuesday with her “no” vote on a procedural motion that allowed her Senate GOP colleagues to advance legislation to repeal Obamacare.

“Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad!” Trump wrote on Twitter on Wednesday morning.


Murkowski (R-Alaska) was one of two GOP lawmakers to vote no on Tuesday’s motion to proceed, a step allowing the Senate to begin debate on its Obamacare repeal efforts. Despite opposition from Murkowski and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the motion passed with the benefit of Vice President Mike Pence’s tie-breaking vote.

That Murkowski wound up voting against the motion to proceed raised eyebrows among some Republicans because the Alaska senator had previously been on the record voting in favor of a so-called “clean repeal” as recently as 2015. That legislation, passed by both the House and the Senate, promptly received an expected veto from then-President Barack Obama.

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“I voted ‘no’ today to give the Senate another chance to take this to the committee process. I still believe that’s the best route, but we now have this debate on the open floor,” Murkowski said Tuesday in a statement. “We all recognize that we have much work to do to address the healthcare concerns of this country.”

Collins came to her colleague's defense Wednesday, sticking up for Murkowski and expressing disdain at the president's online comment.

“It was extremely unfortunate. Lisa is an extraordinarily good senator. She represents her state very well and she’s very strong and does what she thinks is right. And I was disappointed to see that,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who joined with Murkowski in voting no.

“I am comfortable with the decision that I made yesterday and working to advance Alaskans’ interests. And working today to do the same,” Murkowski said. “I don’t really follow Twitter that much.”

Their colleagues mostly demurred.

“I’m gonna lay off that one,” said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

While Tuesday’s Senate vote moved Obamacare repeal efforts forward, what will come from the GOP’s health care push remains to be seen. Beyond Murkowski and Collins, many of the GOP senators who became last-minute yes votes on the motion to proceed have expressed significant concerns about their party’s Obamacare repeal process and proposals. It remains unclear what shape the final bill will take and if there are the requisite 50 votes for it to pass.

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.