(CNN) Senators had a spirited debate Tuesday over the merits of the Green New Deal, a broad policy proposal from liberal Democrats to battle climate change and other social ills but in the end, no one voted to advance the measure and it stalled.

Four senators who caucus with the Democrats joined all 53 Republicans in voting "no" because they object to the far-reaching plan, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell labeled "a socialist makeover of the entire US economy."

The overwhelming majority of Democrats voted "present," because, while they are generally supportive of the ideas in the nascent Green New Deal, they were unwilling to vote for or against it before it was written into final legislative language.

Democrats were also wary of getting stuck in a political trap Republicans made clear they were laying for them: GOP leaders were trying to lure Democrats to embrace a plan Republicans believe is outside of the mainstream, and then use it against them on the campaign trail.

"The Green New Deal is chockful of utopian ideas but completely devoid of concrete plans to implement any of its overreaching policies," said Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, who complained it is a "radical environmental policy" that includes "Medicare for all, free college, and guaranteed jobs."

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