Election Wins Strengthen Democrats’ Hand in Shutdown Standoff/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Democrats are emboldened by recent election victories, complicating efforts to end the historic U.S. government shutdown. President Trump pressures Republicans while refusing to meet Democrats, deepening the impasse. Meanwhile, federal agencies cut services, and bipartisan senators scramble for a resolution.
Government Shutdown Standoff Quick Looks
- Democrats’ election wins in Virginia and New Jersey boost their leverage
- Shutdown reaches 37 days — longest in U.S. history
- Trump blames shutdown for GOP’s election losses, pushes to end filibuster
- Democrats demand health care subsidy guarantees before reopening government
- FAA plans to reduce air traffic amid staffing shortages
- Bipartisan Senate talks ongoing but face White House resistance
- Federal services including food aid and childcare deeply affected
- Millions face higher health insurance premiums as subsidies expire
Deep Look: Shutdown Stalemate Deepens After Democrats’ Election Wins
WASHINGTON (AP) — Recent Democratic victories in key state elections have added new urgency and complexity to the already fraught negotiations surrounding the ongoing federal government shutdown. Now in its 37th day — the longest in U.S. history — the shutdown shows little sign of resolution as political tensions escalate.
President Donald Trump, angered by Republican underperformance in elections across the country, is increasing pressure on his party to resolve the crisis. He attributed GOP setbacks to the prolonged shutdown, calling it a “big factor, negative,” but has refused to meet directly with Democratic leaders unless they agree to reopen the government first.
Despite the national toll, the president remains focused on a different strategy — urging Senate Republicans to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster threshold that slows legislative passage. In a Wednesday video address, Trump insisted the rule must be “terminated,” framing the issue as larger than the shutdown itself, stating, “This is the survival of our country.”
However, most Senate Republicans have dismissed the idea of abolishing the filibuster. Many are wary of setting such a precedent, even as internal GOP concerns mount over the political damage caused by the ongoing crisis.
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, are under pressure from both organized labor groups and grassroots activists. Democratic wins in Virginia and New Jersey were seen by many as voter endorsement of their hard-line strategy — holding out until key demands, particularly the extension of expiring health care subsidies, are met.
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut emphasized the importance of staying the course: “It would be very strange for the American people to have weighed in, in support of Democrats standing up and fighting for them, and within days for us to surrender without having achieved any of the things that we’ve been fighting for.”
Progressive activists echoed the sentiment. Katie Bethell, political director of MoveOn, warned centrist Democrats against backing down too early.
“Moderate Senate Democrats who are looking for an off-ramp right now are completely missing the moment,” she said.
Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent aligned with Democrats, added that lawmakers must not compromise without firm guarantees. He called for a commitment from both House leadership and the president to support subsidy legislation before Democrats consider reopening the government.
Yet not all Democrats are aligned on strategy. Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado expressed a desire to end the shutdown regardless of the elections, saying:
“I don’t feel that the elections changed where I was. I still feel I want to get out of the shutdown.”
On the Republican side, some lawmakers also acknowledge the mounting public frustration.
Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri conceded, “Polls show that most voters blame Republicans more than Democrats. That’s understandable given who controls the levers of power.”
Trump, who has remained largely detached from the direct negotiations, has yet to engage in the same manner he did during his first-term shutdown in 2019. At that time, over demands for border wall funding, he publicly negotiated with congressional leaders. Ultimately, he backed down after 35 days. This time, he has refused to budge, unwilling to address Democrats’ demand to restore health insurance subsidies.
That inflexibility has extended to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who dismissed Democratic victories as temporary and ended further negotiations after passing a Republican-only funding bill in September. Johnson referred to the shutdown milestone as a “sad landmark,” but indicated his focus was on the 2026 midterms.
Meanwhile, the effects of the shutdown are rippling across the country. On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it will cut air traffic by 10% in 40 high-volume markets starting Friday due to staffing shortages. Federal agencies are reducing or suspending services, while hundreds of thousands of federal workers face missed paychecks or unpaid labor.
Critical services — including child care, food assistance, and health programs — are either paused or severely impacted. Court battles continue over restricted SNAP benefits, which were supposed to be protected during the shutdown.
A group of bipartisan senators continues to search for a legislative breakthrough. Lawmakers, particularly on the Appropriations Committee, hope to pass a package of smaller funding bills to keep key parts of the government running. Some progress has been made, including a promise from Senate Majority Leader John Thune to schedule a vote on Democrats’ preferred health care proposal.
Still, many remain skeptical that such concessions will be honored. With health care subsidies set to expire at year’s end, millions of Americans are already receiving insurance notices reflecting higher premiums. The subsidies, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, were essential in helping low- and middle-income families afford coverage.
Until a broad agreement is reached — one that satisfies not only the Senate but also the House and the White House — the shutdown is likely to drag on. And with both sides digging in deeper after recent electoral outcomes, a breakthrough appears as elusive as ever.
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