Republican lawmakers are expressing confidence that the American public will blame Democrats for the impending government shutdown. With funding set to expire, Senate Republicans argue their proposed stopgap measure was a “clean” bill aimed solely at keeping government operations running through November. The bill failed to advance after Senate Democrats refused to support it, citing the exclusion of additional spending priorities including health care subsidies and Medicaid protections.
Senator Bernie Moreno (R‑OH) accused Democrats of “holding the government hostage” over partisan demands, while Senator John Cornyn (R‑TX) pushed back on claims that Republicans would take the political hit. “This is a clean bill, and everyone knows it,” Cornyn said. Senator Chuck Grassley (R‑IA) pointed to previous instances where Democrats supported similar short-term funding resolutions, calling the current opposition politically motivated.
A recent poll cited by GOP lawmakers shows that 65% of voters believe Democrats should not shut down the government even if their policy demands are not met. Republicans are using the data to argue that public sentiment is already turning against Democrats as the shutdown nears. Senator Schumer dismissed the polling and warned Republicans that they would ultimately be held accountable, though many Democrats privately concede that the optics are not favorable.
With President Trump focusing on foreign policy wins and economic messaging, Republicans hope to contrast their governance with what they call “Democrat dysfunction.” The GOP is now preparing to campaign on this budget failure as an example of partisan overreach and misplaced priorities.
