WASHINGTON — A Republican senator who challenged Donald Trump for the White House nomination says the president-elect “fully supports” repealing President Obama’s health law only when there’s a viable alternative to replace it.

Republican leaders are moving toward a vote on repeal legislation in coming weeks, but they anticipate a transition period of months or years to a replacement. Some Republican lawmakers are expressing reservations about scrapping the law, which now covers 20 million people, without a near-term replacement.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who clashed with Trump during the Republican primary, tweeted Friday that the two had a conversation and that Trump agreed with Paul’s approach.

“I just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and he fully supports my plan to replace Obamacare the same day we repeal it,” Paul tweeted. “The time to act is now.”

Nothing about revamping the nation’s $3 trillion-a-year health care system will come easy, but Republican leaders want congressional committees to have legislation dismantling much of Obama’s overhaul ready by late January. They’re hoping Congress can quickly send a measure to the incoming president that would phase out the law, perhaps a couple of months later.

Crafting a replacement probably will take more time, thanks to Republican divisions and solid Democratic opposition. It would be a political nightmare for Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act and then fail to pass a new version of the law.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., told reporters Friday that Republicans might find themselves in a “box canyon” if they erase the law without a substitute in hand.

One part of Obama’s law Republicans are eager to repeal is its tax increases on high-earners and segments of the health care industry that help finance expanded coverage. Corker said that if those taxes are voided but Republicans temporarily continue subsidies to help people buy coverage, “that means Republicans would have to vote for a tax increase” to pay for them – usually a non-starter for the party.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said Friday that if he had his way, “I would start bringing up those elements that start repairing the damage and I would start taking votes on those right now.”

Johnson also expressed concern that Democratic opposition could scuttle the effort. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has said if Republicans void Obama’s bill, Democrats won’t help them pass alternative legislation.

Republicans probably will need just a simple Senate majority to approve their repeal bill, but for procedural reasons, later replacement legislation likely will need 60 votes. Republicans hold a 52-48 edge in the Senate. That means a need for at least eight Democratic votes, though there will be pressure on 10 Democrats facing re-electionin 2018 from states Trump won.

“I take Minority Leader Schumer at his word that if we do this we’re not going to get any Democratic support. In order to actually pass a replacement, we need Democratic support,” Johnson said.

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