(CNN) President Donald Trump's surprising new position last week on taking another legislative run at repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act left Republican lawmakers scrambling in his wake. But several, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, took a proven path to try and talk Trump down from what they saw as an untenable position on the divisive issue: talk to him directly. Over the course of several days, Republican lawmakers attempted to dissuade Trump from his stated idea that Republicans should craft a new replacement plan, according to multiple sources. But definitely staying away from a fractious intraparty debate that House Republicans like Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy firmly believe cost the GOP the House in the 2018 midterms. That was a specific message from McConnell in a weekend phone call, the sources said.

Source: CNN April 02, 2019 16:28 UTC