Some Democrats are privately expressing concern that their leadership’s firm stance against reopening the federal government could lead to a backlash from their liberal base if they vote in favor of the Republican funding bill.
Grassroots activists unhappy with the Trump administration staged “No King” protests nationwide, drawing millions on Saturday to voice their discontent with the presidency.
In this backdrop, there’s a palpable worry among Democrats that failure to reopen the government could alienate many voices on the left.
A Democratic senator, speaking off the record, stated that backing the House’s bill to continue funding through November 21 would ultimately harm the public.
As the “No Kings” protests unfolded, another insider noted that centrist senators are anxious about cutting ties with leadership, especially as party activists gear up for anti-Trump demonstrations.
“If there’s no fear of consequences, there might just be enough votes to get the government back on track,” said this official.
So far, only three Democrats have supported efforts to reopen the government: Senators John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Angus King of Maine, who is an independent but caucuses with the Democrats.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire supported an $852 billion defense funding bill recently, marking a notable fourth Democrat raising concerns over the party’s strong resistance to relatively uncontroversial funding measures during peacetime.
Liberal activists criticized the funding vote for the Pentagon and the government reopening without Republican concessions on health care, labeling it as “mysterious” and “wrong.”
Andrew O’Neill, from the progressive group Indivisible, remarked, “It’s puzzling that Sens. Shaheen, Cortez Masto, and Fetterman went along with Republicans today. This wasn’t a genuine attempt from Republicans to resolve the shutdown through bipartisan efforts. It’s just political theater.”
In response to that criticism, Fetterman defended his vote, emphasizing his concern for military families who might struggle with food insecurity without their paychecks.
“I prioritized military pay over party lines; that’s not a troubling choice for me,” he stated.
This situation has been met with approval from Republicans eager for centrist Democrats to feel the pressure. Senate Majority Leader John Thune plans to push forward with the House’s continuing resolution, seeking additional Democratic support to regain control.
Some Democratic senators admit that while a minority of their colleagues are eager to break the funding deadlock, they are cautious about offending their liberal base, which could jeopardize their political futures.
“Are there enough Democrats willing to collaborate with Republicans and reopen the government? I don’t see that happening soon,” said the unnamed senator. “There’s no real bipartisan dialogue occurring besides some bullish opinions.”
This senator mentioned that if circumstances had been different, more centrist Democrats would have voted to reopen the government “yesterday,” yet they hesitate due to fears of pushing away their base.
Emma Lydon from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee criticized the decision by some Democrats to back the House’s short-term funding bill, arguing that voting to reopen the government amid rising health care costs would misalign with public sentiment.
“Republicans are attempting to dismantle the Affordable Care Act bit by bit,” she added.
Lydon further emphasized that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and nine other Democrats made a “mistake” in supporting the House’s funding bill, which passed on party lines, to avoid a shutdown.
They are aware that the American people desire a Democratic Party that stands firm against Republican extremism, one that prioritizes health care and democracy, she noted.
According to Democratic strategists, a key factor sparking anxiety within their ranks is online fundraising, which is largely driven by social media influence.
Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia, seen as vulnerable ahead of his 2026 re-election, exemplifies the struggle Democrats are facing. An official noted that Ossoff needs support from liberal voters in a state that flipped for Trump in 2024.
This official hypothesized, “His dilemma is whether to vote to open the government, risking fundraising losses, or support a shutdown that might yield $3 million online.”
Ossoff has opposed House funding measures ten times, and he recently declined to advance a bipartisan defense funding bill as well.
The freshman senator maintains that he’s open to working across the aisle while criticizing House Republicans for taking breaks since late September, avoiding talks about health care costs.
“We need a bipartisan approach that maintains health insurance affordability and reopens the government. My constituents are concerned about rising costs,” he shared with The Hill earlier this month.
Democrats are resisting the defense spending bill as they seek assurances that it will progress alongside the Labor and Health and Human Services spending bill, which covers critical non-defense priorities.
However, a growing number of centrist Democrats are showing frustration over the stalemate as they repeatedly confront clean continuation resolutions passed by the House, while leaders from both parties still haven’t organized discussions on rising health care costs.
“It seems like the leaders aren’t communicating, and achieving an agreement looks impossible unless they decide to negotiate,” one member expressed. “There’s a lot of public discussion, and I hope our leaders will engage in dialogue too.”
Those familiar with the internal dynamics noted that Shaheen’s recent vote for the defense bill, despite her history of opposing House-passed resolutions, signals her openness to collaborating with Republicans to resolve the government impasse.
