GOP leadership aides have acknowledged they could lose at least as many Republicans on any debt deal for various reasons.
Still, as leader of the RSC, Jordan's voice carries significant weight within the broader Republican conference. In fact, earlier this year — with leadership's blessing — Jordan was successfully able to defeat a trade bill that had been brought to the floor.
Meanwhile, with Obama and Boehner appearing to close in on a deal, the National Governors Association sent a letter to the president and Congressional leaders Saturday urging them to avoid any arrangement that shifts costs to states.
With talks increasingly focusing on changes to Medicare and Medicaid, state officials have become wary that the debt deal will end up forcing further costs onto states, many of which are facing their own financial problems.
"While we recognize the need to address the federal fiscal imbalance, we do not believe spending reductions should be made disproportionately to state funds or result in merely shifting costs to the states," NGA Chairwoman Christine Gregoire (D) and NGA Vice Chairman Dave Heineman (R) wrote in the letter.
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