Frelinghuysen had voted against the prior Republican repeal bill Watch video
MORRISTOWN -- A small group of Obamacare supporters were standing on the sidewalk outside Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen's district office as the House began voting on whether to repeal it.
It was unclear, at that point, if the bill would pass. Frelinghuysen, who opposed a prior real bill, had declined to take a public position.
The group was tracking the process on their phones when someone said, "They got it."
The American Health Care Act had passed, but barely -- 217 to 213.
Attention quickly turned to Frelinghuysen.
Stacey Gregg, who organized the rally that, an hour earlier, had drawn 100, asked, "How did he vote?
Standing nearby was James Grimmelman, a Jersey City resident.
Grimmelman had shown up with his 5-month-old daughter, Ida, and a sign facetiously declaring her "Daddy's little pre-existing condition."
He explained that, though his infant is healthy, he was thinking of others born with health problems.
Grimmelman began scrolling through the vote count.
"He voted ... he's not on the list of no's there .. yeah. Voted yes," Grimmelman said.
The half-dozen who remained took a few seconds to process than information, then ventured inside the building on Schuyler Place housing Frelinghuysen's second-floor district office.
After being asked to wait in the hallway for about 10 minutes, all were ushered inside, where two Frelinghuysen staffers were waiting along with a police officer.
Gregg asked one employee, who asked not to be shown on video, if she could confirm how Frelinghuysen had voted.
She did, and provided copies of a three-paragraph statement from Frelinguysen, in which he stated the House bill would protect those with pre-existing conditions -- an assertion disputed by Democrats and the minority of Republicans opposing it.
Exiting the office, Ann Rea of Clifton took issue with the support of the conservative House Freedom Caucus for the bill.
"To me, this is not freedom," Rea said.
"This is like stifling the American people and making them cripples of our own pre-existing conditions," Rea said.
Gregg also rejected Frelinghuysen's explanation.
"I'm just deeply disappointed. I'm really shocked that he would let down the people in America," she said.
Gregg, of Rockaway Township, has been taking part in weekly protests outside Frelinghuysen's office since President Trump took office.
She said Thursday's outcome would not deter their advocacy.
"We're going to persist," Gregg said.
"We're going to resist. We're going to show up, and we're going to vote," Gregg said.
Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook