WASHINGTON — The US political hot potato of abortion, which tends to rear its head in election years, stole the limelight and stoked passions as lawmakers passed the historic health care reform bill.

Before Congress voted by 219 voices -- including those of several pro-life Democrats -- to 212 to pass health care reform, Republican lawmakers pushed abortion to center stage in an attempt to kill the bill by continuing to debate it.

And when prominent pro-life Democrat Bart Stupak rose to explain why he changed his vote in favor of the bill, a Republican congressman dramatically shouted "baby killer" from the rear of the wood-paneled hall on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON — Democrats won a major legislative victory Sunday with the House approval of the health care overhaul.

But will their legislative victory be tomorrow's political triumph — or will passage of the largest new social program since Medicare become a political albatross around the necks of Democratic incumbents from Michigan to Texas?

Public opinion surveys reveal the depth of the Democrats' challenge. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Monday found that 39 percent of American voters approve of the Democratic approach to health reform, while 59 percent disapprove.

"The decision by President (Barack) Obama and the Democrat-led Congress to ignore the voters and ram their government takeover of health care down the throats of the American people will come at a steep political cost in November," predicted Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.