Obama Scores Major Win on Iran Nuclear Deal

The Iran nuclear deal appears good to go following announcements of support from three Democratic senators today in what the Hill is calling an "impressive lobbying win" for President Obama and the White House. Those three senators bring the total votes for the deal to 41 in the Senate, meaning Republicans don't have the numbers to pass a resolution against it. All 54 Senate Republicans were joined by four Democrats—including a West Virginia senator who officially sided with them today—in supporting a resolution to stop the deal, CNN reports. It would have likely been a moot point, anyway, as Obama already had the votes to veto any resolution passed against his deal. Floor debate on the deal begins today.

While today's announcements were supportive, they weren't necessarily ringing endorsements of Obama's plan. “Despite my serious concerns with this agreement, I have unfortunately become convinced that we are faced with no viable alternative,” one of the three senators, Gary Peters of Michigan, tells the Hill. "While this is not the agreement I would have accepted at the negotiating table, it is better than no deal at all," another of the senators, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, tells CNN. The three senators made their announcements on the same day Dick Cheney called the Iran nuclear deal "madness." Ted Cruz and Donald Trump are expected to headline a rally against it tomorrow. (More Barack Obama stories.)