“Imagine in 2017 a new president, signing legislation repealing every word of Obamacare,” Cruz said to roaring applause, promising also to kill the Common Core educational program.

Asked about those promises Tuesday, Graham was blunt.

“You’re not going to do that,” he said. Instead, Graham explained his desire in particular to keep Obamacare provisions that prevent insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing illnesses and ensuring children can stay on their parents’ policies until the age of 26. “So there are parts of this bill that we would adopt.”

As for the flat tax, Graham said: “We can flatten out the Tax Code. That’s what Simpson-Bowles did. But we aren’t going to abolish the IRS.”