Following the Finance Committee's 14-9 vote to pass Chairman Max Baucus's health care bill, the Democratic and Republican Senate campaign committees quickly released statements calling out members from the opposite party for their votes. Meanwhile, the Democratic and Republican Senate leaders focused their statements on Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), the lone Republican to vote in favor of the plan.

"Sen. Snowe is also to be commended for voting for this proposal in the face of immense pressure from opponents of reform," said Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.). "Her courage to stick with her principles in the face of an increasingly partisan environment in Washington, DC is heartening and should serve as a reminder that health care is an issue that should defy party labels."

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), firmly against the bill, focused on Snowe's continued reservations with the plan, which she voiced this morning to McConnell as well as in committee.

"Sen. Snowe called me this morning to let me know that while she continues to have serious, substantive policy reservations with this proposal, she wanted to keep the process moving," said McConnell. "I share her concerns about the direction of this bill once it leaves the committee, and her call for transparency before we vote to proceed to any bill on the floor."

Both leaders recognized that while this was an important vote that continued to move Democrats' health care reform initiatives forward, this bill is not the one that will end up on the Senate floor. Reid and a committee of senators will now merge the Finance bill with the one passed three months ago in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, formerly chaired by Ted Kennedy.

That will not be a simple process, as the HELP bill contains a public insurance option, unlike the Finance bill. Should a bill pass the full Senate, it would then need to be combined with the House bill and voted on again. Snowe maintained that by voting today, it did not guarantee her continued support.

"My vote today is my vote today, it doesn't forecast what my vote will be tomorrow," said Snowe.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is focusing on Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), who is up for re-election next year and whose vulnerability could be decided by how she votes on health care and other issues.

"It very troubling that Senator Lincoln went back on her word and decided to vote in favor of a bill that will ultimately shift costs to voters in Arkansas who are still struggling to make ends meet," said NRSC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand. "Despite her assertions to the contrary, Blanche Lincoln has effectively opened the door with this vote for a government-run program that will come between her constituents and their doctors and potentially cause over 88 million Americans to lose their coverage."

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee went after Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the Finance ranking member. Grassley is up for re-election next year as well, but not considered vulnerable at this point.

"With today's vote, Senator Grassley affirmed his loyalty to insurance companies," said DSCC spokesman Eric Schultz. "Instead of championing the people he pledged to serve, Grassley sided with the special interests and toed the Republican Party line by voting to obstruct progress at every turn. Senator Grassley owes the people of Iowa an explanation."