A win for the moderate middle

“Both parties are going to have the outer edges — the fringes within the party — they’ll vote against it. And the moderates will stand and vote for it,” Shuler said. “As always, the Blue Dogs are the ones who end up saving the day.” A similar coalition will be required in the Senate to pass the bill Tuesday and send it to the president for his signature.

On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.), active in a group of moderate Republicans, said he felt an obligation to back the deal, and some irritation with colleagues who refused.

“I’ve expressed some frustration and anger to some of my colleagues here,” he said. “I heard too much from some of my colleagues about what they could never do,” he said, instead of what they could.”