Senators on Wednesday rejected a key proposal that would repeal much of ObamaCare, despite intense pressure from conservatives.

Senators voted 55-45 against an amendment from Sen. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulSecond GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus GOP senator to quarantine after coronavirus exposure The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by National Industries for the Blind - Trump seeks to flip 'Rage' narrative; Dems block COVID-19 bill MORE (R-Ky.) that would repeal the Affordable Care Act and give lawmakers two years to come up with a replacement.

GOP Sens. Lamar Alexander Andrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy This week: Supreme Court fight over Ginsburg's seat upends Congress's agenda MORE (Tenn.), Shelley Moore Capito Shelley Wellons Moore CapitoCongress must finish work on popular conservation bill before time runs out Second GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus GOP senator to quarantine after coronavirus exposure MORE (W.Va.), Susan Collins Susan Margaret CollinsGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Gardner signals support for taking up Supreme Court nominee this year Tumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate MORE (Maine), Dean Heller Dean Arthur HellerOn The Trail: Democrats plan to hammer Trump on Social Security, Medicare Lobbying World Democrats spend big to put Senate in play MORE (Nev.), John McCain John Sidney McCainBiden's six best bets in 2016 Trump states Replacing Justice Ginsburg could depend on Arizona's next senator The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy MORE (Ariz.), Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann MurkowskiGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Gardner signals support for taking up Supreme Court nominee this year Tumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate MORE (Alaska) and Rob Portman Robert (Rob) Jones PortmanMcConnell locks down key GOP votes in Supreme Court fight Romney undecided on authorizing subpoenas for GOP Obama-era probes Congress needs to prioritize government digital service delivery MORE (Ohio) joined all Democrats and independents in voting no.

A vote on the amendment, which was widely expected to fail, was originally scheduled for late Wednesday morning but was delayed as senators tried to get clarity on a provision tied to abortion.

It was the second healthcare plan rejected after the Senate voted down a separate repeal-and-replace amendment on Tuesday night.

Three GOP senators had already announced they wouldn’t support repeal-only. Alexander, the chairman of the Senate’s health committee, predicted he didn’t “think there are 40 votes to repeal” without a replacement.

But conservatives ramped up pressure for GOP senators to support the proposal, noting Senate Republicans passed a repeal bill in 2015 when they knew then-President Obama would veto it.

“Republicans promised to repeal ObamaCare, and as we move forward in this process, I urge them to join me in supporting a clean repeal of as much of this disastrous law as possible,” Paul said ahead of the vote.

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FreedomWorks, a conservative outside group, blasted out a “key vote” notice hours ahead of Wednesday’s vote, arguing President Trump would sign a repeal-only bill.

“For more than seven years, Republicans successfully campaigned on ObamaCare repeal. ... Grassroots conservative activists are not going to accept excuses if Republicans fail to pass a bill that they have passed once before,” the group said in a notice to members.

Michael Needham, CEO of Heritage Action for America, added separately on Wednesday morning that "around 11:30, the Senate will vote on the 2015 repeal bill. It would be a first step towards repeal and all Senators should support it."

Repealing portions of ObamaCare without enacting a replacement could leave 18 million people without health insurance the following year, according to a report released by Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in January.

After the elimination of ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion and insurance subsidies, 27 million people would lose insurance, rising to 32 million by 2026, the CBO found.

The proposal comes as senators are searching to find a path forward on how to fulfill their years-long campaign pledge to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Trump puts Supreme Court fight at center of Ohio rally The Memo: Dems face balancing act on SCOTUS fight MORE (R-Ky.) scored a victory on Tuesday when he wrangled 50 GOP senators to agree to start debate on the House-passed healthcare bill, being used as a vehicle for any action, and let Vice President Pence break the 50-50 tie.

But during the first amendment vote Tuesday evening, nine GOP senators joined with Democrats and independents to vote against a key repeal-and-replace proposal, known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). The setback doesn’t prevent GOP leadership from offering another version of BCRA during what is expected to be a days-long floor debate with hundreds of amendments.

McConnell said that while the proposal failed, it “represented a number of important healthcare reform ideas developed by our members.”

He added on Wednesday that the effort to get either an ObamaCare repeal, or an ObamaCare repeal and replace bill, through the Senate “certainly won’t be easy.”

“We’ll consider many different proposals throughout this process from senators on both sides of the aisle. Ultimately, we want to get legislation to finally end the failed ObamaCare status quo through Congress and to the president’s desk for his signature,” he said Wednesday morning.

Republicans have a 52-seat majority and will need the support of at least 50 senators to pass a proposal.

GOP leadership could ultimately try to pass a “skinny repeal,” which would include a repeal of the individual and employer mandates and the medical device tax, if broader proposals aren’t able to garner enough support.

The move could buy Republicans time to work out a deal as they try to merge their healthcare bill with a proposal passed earlier this year by the House.

“I think the endgame is to be able to move something at the end of this process across the Senate floor that can get 50 votes and then get into conference with the House,” Sen. John Thune John Randolph ThuneGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Tumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate What Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies MORE (R-S.D.) told reporters.

Sen. John Cornyn John CornynTumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate Texas Democrats roll out first wave of planned digital ads as Election Day nears Calls grow for Biden to expand election map in final sprint MORE (R-Texas), the No. 2 Senate Republican, added on Wednesday that the GOP wants to "get to conference quick" but no decisions had been made about what the Senate could ultimately pass, or what could be included in a "skinny repeal."

Democrats, however, have blasted that path as a setup to try to ultimately pass full repeal of ObamaCare.

“Make no mistake about it, skinny repeal is equal to full repeal. It’s a Trojan horse designed to get the House and Senate into conference where the hard-right flank of the Republican caucus, the Freedom Caucus, will demand full repeal or something very close to it,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said ahead of the vote.