ATLANTA (AP) — After three years of bashing President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, Republican governors were surprisingly mute on the first day consumers could shop for insurance policies through online marketplaces.

But in the 36 mostly Republican states that left the operation of their exchanges to the federal government, consumer interest Tuesday was high, while Democrats and advocacy groups took the lead in promoting the latest provision of the law.

"I'm thrilled that the United States is finally catching up with some of the other countries in the world that provide health care," said Houston resident Priscilla McAfee, who planned to use an exchange to buy a policy.

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