Dems up for reelection under pressure to nix healthcare mandate

Democrats who are nervous about reelection are increasingly ready to consider scrapping the new healthcare law's provision that forces people to buy health insurance or pay a fine. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), one of President Obama's closest allies in the Senate, on Wednesday said she would consider scrapping the controversial mandate in favor of a "viable" alternative. "There's other ways we can get people into the pool 'I hope' other than a mandate, and we need to look at that," McCaskill said on MSNBC. McCaskill is facing a tough reelection race in 2012. Three-quarters of Missouri voters opposed the individual mandate in a referendum during the August primary, so her support for the healthcare legislation could become a sticking point for her campaign.