Five Blue Dogs join GOP in vote for 'cut, cap and balance' bill

By Russell Berman - 07/19/11 09:07 PM ET

Five Blue Dog Democrats joined House Republicans in backing a conservative plan to condition a $2.4 trillion increase in the debt limit with immediate spending cuts, an annual cap on spending and a strict balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution.

Reps. Heath Shuler (N.C.), Dan Boren (Okla.), Jim Matheson (Utah), Mike McIntyre (N.C.) and Jim Cooper (Tenn.) all voted for the GOP "cut, cap and balance" plan that passed the House Tuesday on a vote of 234-190. The support from Democrats was a surprise, one GOP leadership aide said. Most Democrats railed against the GOP plan as a "radical" attempt to enact deep spending cuts and reforms that would threaten entitlement programs.

Cooper, a member of the New Democrat Coalition, signed a letter Tuesday endorsing the Senate's Gang of Six plan, which includes $3.7 trillion in budget savings and is likely to draw more support from Democrats.

GOP presidential candidates Reps. Michele Bachmann (Minn.) and Ron Paul (Texas) were among the nine House Republicans to vote no. The others were Reps. Paul Broun (Ga.), Francisco "Quico" Canseco (Texas), Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.), Morgan Griffith (Va.), Connie Mack (Fla.), Walter Jones (N.C) and Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.).

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), another presidential contender, voted yes.