Washington is watching closely a handful of Senate Democrats who could hold the keys to ending the first government shutdown since 2019.
Why it matters: Republicans need just seven Senate Democrats to break ranks and vote for a GOP-led government funding bill. So far, Democrats are mostly holding strong.
- Sens. John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with Democrats, were the only ones to vote with Republicans on Tuesday in favor of the GOP's stopgap spending proposal.
- But the longer the shutdown drags on, the more pressure builds on each side to find a solution.
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.)
- A moderate, Hassan was one of ten Senate Democrats who voted to break a filibuster of a government funding package in March, clearing the way for Republicans to pass the bill.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)
- Shaheen is one of the Democrats leading the push for a bipartisan compromise on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits. A breakthrough in those talks could unlock her support.
- Like Hassan, she voted in March to help extend government funding. Shaheen is also retiring next year, so the backlash from the Democratic base for a "yes" vote wouldn't matter much politically to her.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.)
- Peters has signaled that he would be open to supporting a government funding bill with assurances on concessions on health care from Republicans. He, like Shaheen, is retiring next year.
- Peters voted in March to break a Democratic filibuster of a GOP funding bill.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)
- Durbin was one of the Democrats who voted to break a filibuster of the funding bill in March. He is also retiring.
- As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's top deputy, however, he'd face additional pressure not to break with leadership's position.
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.)
- Ossoff is up for reelection, the most important incumbent race for Senate Democrats next year.
- Depending on where public sentiment goes on the shutdown, he could feel pressure to break with his party to fund the government.
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
- Both Gillibrand and Schatz voted to break the filibuster in March, raising the possibility of them again crossing the aisle.
- But Schatz has been clear that he is a hard 'no' on the GOP bill this time around, and Gillibrand called looming health care premium increases a "Republican-manufactured" crisis.
- The Trump administration's move Wednesday to withhold $18 billion for New York City infrastructure projects makes it even less likely that Gillibrand would break ranks.
