Two More G.O.P. Senators Back Deficit Plan

All three Senate Republicans on President Obama’s debt-reduction commission have announced their support for the bipartisan plan of the panel’s co-chairmen, exposing a party break over how to address the nation’s fiscal problems since the panel’s three House Republicans are expected to vote no when the commission votes on Friday.

Two of the Senate’s most conservative Republicans, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Michael D. Crapo of Idaho, said they would set aside their reservations about the package of long-term spending cuts and revenue increases and vote yes along with Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, who endorsed the plan on Wednesday.

The latest endorsements bring to nine the number of members whom the co-chairmen – former Senator Alan K. Simpson, a Republican, and Erskine B. Bowles, a Democrat and former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton – have won over in private lobbying this week.

That means their plan will receive support from at least half of the 18-member panel, which is more than most people expected. But it is short of the 14-vote supermajority needed to send it the plan to Congress for a vote under the terms of Mr. Obama’s February order that established the commission, which is made up of 12 members of Congress, six from each party, and six private citizens.

Read the rest here.