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RALEIGH -- Governor Bev Perdue has been liberal with her use of the veto stamp this legislative session and now lawmakers want her to know they don't approve.

In a surprising turn of events, the Republican leadership attempted two veto overrides on Wednesday with mixed results.

A Republican effort to override Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue's veto that blocks an effort to challenge a provision in the Federal health care overhaul law fell short.

The House voted 68-51 on Wednesday in favor of canceling her veto over the weekend, but there needed to be 72 votes for an override. The bill passed the House with 69 votes two weeks ago.

Perdue said she vetoed the bill over the weekend because it was a distraction and that the constitutionality of the federal health care law was already being settled in the federal courts.

Perdue spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson said the governor is pleased with the result and was confident the veto would remain.

Earlier Wednesday, Republican legislators raised the stakes over a cash management method Gov. Beverly Perdue unveiled this week to ensure income tax refunds are paid on time.

The Senate on Wednesday overrode a veto by Perdue last month on a budget savings bill that GOP lawmakers argue would give her lawful access to additional cash. The vote was 31-19. Thirty votes were needed for an override.

The Republicans argue Perdue's current method to find $490 million is unlawful because she plans to borrow temporarily $100 million from an unemployment compensation reserve fund.

GOP Sen. Richard Stevens of Cary said the bill would have given Perdue the extra cash she needs without doing something unconstitutional. Perdue's office said her plan is legal. The override question now goes to the House.

So two major, strategic votes with mixed results. What does this mean about the future relationship between the democratic Governor and the republican led legislature?

Perdue was out of state, but Chrissy Pearson, her Press Secretary had plenty to say about the votes.

“What we have here at the General Assembly is a bunch of games, a bunch distractions,” she said. “It's clear to us it was a show.”

“When you hear the House [of Representatives] does not have enough votes to do the [veto] override, you have to ask yourself, was this merely for political purposes,” questioned Lt. Governor Walter Dalton who is also President of the Senate. “It appears to me it was an act of futility.”

Even though Republicans didn't expect to have enough support to override the vetos, they insist the votes were serious business, not games.

“People know you're serious about it,” said Rep. Tim Moore, a Republican representing Cleveland County. “The voters will know, the people of this state will know we kept our word and we did what we said we would do. We tried everything we can.”

The one thing both Democrats and Republicans agree on is the vetos and override votes were not a power struggle.

“Everything that's done here in Raleigh is partisan,” said Rep. Edgar Starnes, a Republican from Caldwell County. “That's just a fact of life. It's not any more partisan than it was yesterday and will be tomorrow.”

Both Democrats and Republicans say they hope to work together on bills and the budget as this historic legislative session continues.