President Obama cleared a significant political hurdle Tuesday when several undecided Democrats came out in favor of the Iran nuclear deal, giving him enough votes to block a Senate resolution of disapproval. 
 
 Three of the five remaining swing votes, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Gary Peters (Mich.) and Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenFive controversial health actions on Trump's agenda Senate Intel chair: Panel’s Russia probe will extend into 2019 2020 Democrats challenge Trump's use of troops at Mexico border MORE (Ore.), announced their support for the accord in a flurry of near-simultaneous press releases on Tuesday morning, increasing the number of pro-deal Democrats to 41. 
 
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 The senators released their statements of support after Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinSotomayor: Kavanaugh now part of the Supreme Court ‘family’ Trump to nominate former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler as next EPA administrator Schumer reelected as Senate Democratic Leader MORE (D-W.Va.), became the fourth member of his caucus to announce his opposition to the deal. Sen. Maria Cantwell Maria Elaine CantwellPrivacy legislation could provide common ground for the newly divided Congress Dems slam Trump’s energy regulator nominee Cantwell easily wins reelection in Washington Senate race MORE (Wash.), the last undecided Senate Democrat, announced her support for the measure late Tuesday, becoming the 42nd vote against the resolution of disapproval. 
 
 Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid Harry Mason ReidIncoming Nevada governor pushes to rename Las Vegas airport for Harry Reid Dems wonder if Sherrod Brown could be their magic man Nevada New Members 2019 MORE (Nev.) now has the votes to support a filibuster blocking a Republican-backed resolution to disapprove the deal, which would lift sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. He predicted the deal would survive congressional scrutiny, citing support from an “overwhelming majority” of his caucus. 
 
 “This agreement will stand. America will uphold its commitment, and we will seize this opportunity to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon,” Reid said in a speech to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 
 
 Obama had already secured enough votes to sustain a veto of the resolution, but Tuesday’s developments gave him an important political victory. 
 
 After months of debate — including Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu’s denunciation of Obama’s talks with Iran in an address to Congress — the Iran deal’s opponents lack the votes to get the motion of disapproval out of the Senate. 
 
 Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate to get briefing on Saudi Arabia that could determine sanctions Five things to watch as Congress braces for end-of-the-year shutdown fight Trump demands wall funding in ‘major border security package’ MORE (R-Ky.) still hopes to score political points by casting Democrats as avoiding a vote on the substance of the deal. 
 
 He argued the deal should get an up-or-down vote, warning Democrats against hiding behind a filibuster, which would require 60 votes to overcome. 
 
 “I expect that every senator who voted for that measure is now entitled to an up-or-down vote — not a filibuster or artificial limits on passage, but an important vote — on this resolution,” McConnell said. “The Senate should not hide behind procedural obfuscation to shield the president or our individual views.” 
 
 Reid has pressed McConnell to allow an up-or-down Senate vote that would require the Iran resolution to win 60 votes for passage, something he said has become common. 
 
 “Everything of importance in the Senate requires 60 votes. So passage will require 60 votes,” he said. 
 
 The dueling comments on the Senate floor suggested no deal is in the works and that McConnell will force Democrats to filibuster to avoid an Obama veto. 
 
 “Reid is looking for a way not to go through a cloture vote because he’s doesn’t want to filibuster the Iran deal. We don’t want to make it easier for Democrats to defeat [the disapproval resolution,]” said Don Stewart, McConnell’s spokesman. 
 
 Only four Senate Democrats have announced their opposition to the agreement: Sens. Charles Schumer Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerDemocrats need their top general — Pelosi — in age of Trump Facebook reeling after damning NYT report Schumer warns Trump to stay out of government funding negotiations MORE (N.Y.), Bob Menendez Robert (Bob) MenendezPro-Israel organizations should finally seek payback against Iran deal Dems Trump lowers refugee goal to 30,000, he must meet it Blame Senate, not FBI, for Kavanaugh travesty MORE (N.J.), Ben Cardin Benjamin (Ben) Louis Cardin2020 Democrats challenge Trump's use of troops at Mexico border Dems slam Trump for siding with Saudi Arabia in Khashoggi killing Pro-Israel organizations should finally seek payback against Iran deal Dems MORE (Md.) and Manchin. 
 
 Senate Republican aides, however, question whether all 42 Democrats would vote to end the filibuster. They pointed to centrist Sens. Chris Coons Christopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsHillicon Valley: Facebook reeling after NYT report | Dems want DOJ probe | HQ2 brings new scrutiny on Amazon | Judge upholds Russian troll farm indictments | Cyber moonshot panel unveils recommendations Senators introduce Trump-backed criminal justice bill Dems press Justice Department to probe Facebook over political attacks MORE (D-Del.) and Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerSenate Intel chair: Panel’s Russia probe will extend into 2019 Dems slam Trump for siding with Saudi Arabia in Khashoggi killing CIA's report complicates US response to Khashoggi murder MORE (D-Va.) as possible allies on the procedural motion. 
 
 Coons said earlier this month “it would be really regrettable” if lawmakers did not have a chance to vote on the resolution of disapproval directly because of a filibuster. 
 
 He declined Tuesday to reveal his stance on the procedural question and instead voiced hope that Reid and McConnell would reach an agreement. 
 
 “Sen. Coons hopes that it will proceed in such a way that the Senate has ample opportunity to conclude debate on this important deal and allow each senator to make their individual position clear,” said spokesman Sean Coit. 
 
 A Senate Democratic aide said Warner would discuss the floor procedure with colleagues at a lunch meeting Wednesday. 
 
 “He’s going to wait and see how it goes in caucus tomorrow before he makes a decision,” the aide said. 
 
 Republicans may seek to add political pain to the vote by scheduling it for Friday — the 14th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. 
 
 “Ironic that Congress may vote on Iran nuke deal on 9/11,” Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn John CornynDivisions in GOP may leave Trump priority in Senate limbo Senate barrels toward showdown over Trump's court picks Dem gains put Sunbelt in play for 2020 MORE (R-Texas) tweeted. 
 
 House Republican leaders plan to vote on their own disapproval resolution this week. 
 
 Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) wants to delay the vote, arguing the 60-day congressional review period mandated by law is not in effect because the administration failed to deliver paperwork needed to trigger the clock. 
 
 Roskam, who serves as co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, wants to force a floor vote this week that would cancel the House vote on the deal unless the White House releases the text of the “side deals” between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding nuclear inspections. 
 
 Senate GOP aides, however, dismissed the prospect of delaying a vote in the upper chamber. 
 
 The votes on the Iran deal followed an intense month of lobbying in August. Groups opposed to the deal blanketed television airwaves with advertisements warning the agreement would not stem Iran’s support for terrorism. 
 
 Supporters of the deal argued that other trading partners would not reinstate sanctions and that the deal was the best way to limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities. 
 
 Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, after a rare invitation from Speaker John Boehner John Andrew BoehnerGOP sits back and enjoys Dem fight over Pelosi Ethics panel reprimands Freedom Caucus chairman over handling of harassment allegations Pelosi allies rage over tactics of opponents MORE (R-Ohio), appeared to backfire. The vote quickly became a partisan issue, and many Democrats were offended by Netanyahu’s comments, which came amid his own reelection bid. 
 
 Still, the last few Democrats who announced their support for the deal on Tuesday suggested it was not an easy decision. 
 
 Peters argued that it was not realistic to expect the United States and its five partner nations to negotiate a stronger accord. 
 
 “Despite my serious concerns with this agreement, I have unfortunately become convinced that we are faced with no viable alternative,” the freshman senator said in a statement. “I have met with representatives for each of our negotiating partners, whom have all stated that they will not return to the negotiating table if Congress rejects this deal.” 
 
 Cristina Marcos contributed. 
 
 This story was updated at 6:09 p.m. ||||| Washington (CNN) Democrats on Tuesday gave President Barack Obama the votes he needs to prevent the Senate from passing a measure disapproving of the Iran nuclear deal. 
 
 Reaching the threshold to filibuster means the President likely won't need to veto the measure, even though opposition to the Iran deal enjoys majority support in the House and Senate. 
 
 Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Michigan Sen. Gary Peters and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden on Tuesday all announced in rapid fire succession they would support the deal, putting Obama at 41 votes of support in the Senate. By late Tuesday evening, Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell announced she would be the 42nd supportive Democrat, an extra buffer. 
 
 All Senate Democrats have now announced where they stand on the deal. 
 
 The Senate would need 60 votes to advance a measure rejecting the deal for a floor vote. If 41 of the Democrats who support the deal vote to filibuster, it would not reach a final vote in the Senate. Not all have pledged to do so, though they have pledged to vote with the President on the deal otherwise. 
 
 The four new Democrats' support came as another member of the party announced his opposition to the Iran deal on Tuesday. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin made a total of four Democrats who came out against the deal. 
 
 "Despite my serious reservations, I will reluctantly vote against a motion of disapproval because I believe that doing so will protect the credibility of the United States to hold Iran accountable to adhere to every single obligation in the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]," Peters said in a statement. 
 
 "Having talked to the technical experts who will be involved with the implementation of this agreement, I have come to the conclusion that its many overlapping provisions will make it exceedingly difficult for the Iranians to build a nuclear weapon in the short term and will lengthen the time required should they choose to break their commitments and try to build one in the future," Wyden said. 
 
 "While this is not the agreement I would have accepted at the negotiating table, it is better than no deal at all," Blumenthal said. 
 
 Congress returns to Washington on Tuesday to begin a frenzied fall legislative session, which will include votes on the Iran deal before a Sept. 17 deadline. 
 
 Debate will begin in earnest on Wednesday, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is looking to ensure it has senators' full attention. Hearings for the week have been canceled, and McConnell has asked all senators to be at their desks in the chamber as lawmakers debate the bill. 
 
 On Tuesday, the White House indicated it expects all the senators who have supported the deal to also vote to block the disapproval motion. 
 
 "We certainly would expect that those members of Congress who support the agreement to take the necessary steps in Congress to prevent Congress from undermining the agreement," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in the daily briefing. 
 
 Both sides have been increasing their lobbying efforts on the deal. On Wednesday, Republican presidential candidates including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and real estate mogul Donald Trump will headline an anti-Iran deal rally on Capitol Hill. And on Tuesday, former Vice President Dick Cheney delivered a fiery speech against the deal, calling it "madness. 
 
 Opponents also circulated a letter from 15 governors on Tuesday voicing their opposition to the deal and pledging to keep state-level sanctions on Iran in place. All four of the current governors running for president signed, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. 
 
 Also on Wednesday, Democratic front-runner and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will deliver her own speech on the Iran deal, where she's expected to unequivocally support it. 
 
 As Obama's support drew closer to 41 in the Senate, opponents of the deal began criticizing Democrats for, as they say, preventing an up-or-down vote on the deal by blocking its forward motion. 
 
 Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid's office has been waging its own campaign against that narrative, releasing statements on why the floor procedure is legitimate and noting that the Senate agreed to the plan almost unanimously. 
 
 "It would be a little ironic for now Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to express concerns about a tactic that he, himself, employed on countless occasions," Earnest said Tuesday. "The other thing that I'll point out is that the 60 vote threshold is actually one that was approved by the 98 senators who voted for the Corker-Cardin legislation back in the spring."
– 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.