WASHINGTON — All week, lawmakers faced what many considered a no-win proposal: Support one of the costliest bailouts in U.S. history, or risk watching a financial crisis bleed into their own districts.

In the end, anxiety trumped outrage. The House passed the economic rescue package on Friday, with 58 lawmakers switching to a yes vote from a no vote on Monday, when the legislation failed.

Six Texans were among those who switched – almost splitting the delegation down the middle. Seventeen Texas lawmakers voted for the bill, while 15 voted against it.

Several lawmakers who voted for the $700 billion plan said they were convinced it was the right position even if it remained unpopular back home.

"I know I'm going to go home and face a lot of folks who are disappointed," said Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Midland. He added that some voters would question his judgment: "I have to rebuild that trust across the board."

Mr. Conaway said he woke up Friday in "peace" about the way he would vote, after being one of the last members to cast a vote on Monday.

"That's an obligation that a member of Congress has – vote what's correct and right, and not what's easy," he said. Other Texans who changed their vote to support the bill were Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar of Laredo, Al Green of Houston, Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston and Solomon Ortiz of Corpus Christi. The Republicans were Mr. Conaway and Mac Thornberry of Amarillo.

Mr. Cuellar said the bill was improved by Senate additions that extended tax breaks that are valuable to Texas homeowners and businesses, including the state sales tax deduction and tax credits for renewable energy producers.

Others weren't moved by the changes. They said the legislation was improved by a week's worth of negotiations but still risked sending the message that the government would bail out failing businesses.

"It erodes personal responsibility and puts the government on the road to implicitly guaranteeing all failures throughout our economy," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas.

All Texas lawmakers with competitive re-election races maintained their opposition to the bill. Rep. Nick Lampson, whose race is considered the toughest, said his vote was "probably an easier vote to explain" because "it's what my constituents wanted."

Mr. Lampson said he supported the extension of the tax credits but could not vote for the legislation simply because those measures were added.

"If this bill was so good, why did you have to add the sugar on top?" he said.