Senate Democrats are scrambling to respond to the Republican stopgap spending bill, knowing they have no good options as the deadline to avoid a government shutdown looms on Friday.
Faced with the choice of accepting the GOP’s six-month spending plan or allowing the government to shut down, Democrats are growing increasingly divided.
Their latest strategy is to push for a 30-day continuing resolution before even considering the Republican proposal—an idea that is almost certain to fail.
As Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) already sent the House home after passing the GOP’s resolution, Senate Democrats now have two choices: accept the Republican bill or risk shutting down the government.
“They’re both horrible outcomes,” admitted Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) after a lengthy Democratic luncheon Wednesday.
“I went to sleep last night. I stayed up late and really thought about it. Had one decision in mind. Woke up and realized, ‘No, I don’t. That’s not the right [decision].’”
Democrats claim their opposition is based on concerns that the Republican-led measure will give President Trump and Elon Musk greater control over the federal workforce, which they have already been working to reduce.
However, the real fear for Democrats is the political fallout of forcing a shutdown that would leave more than 2 million government employees furloughed without pay.
“There’s no easy call,” said Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who ultimately came out against the bill.
GOP Gains the Upper Hand as Democrats Struggle
Republicans, meanwhile, have positioned themselves as the responsible party seeking to keep the government open.
While Democrats claim the GOP bill isn’t “clean” because it includes $13 billion in cuts to nondefense spending, Republicans argue that these reductions are necessary to rein in wasteful spending in bloated areas like housing, nutrition, and healthcare subsidies.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has been pressuring Senate Democrats to hold the line against the GOP bill, calling it the “Trump-Musk-Johnson reckless Republican spending bill.”
With eight Democratic votes needed to pass the Republican plan, only Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has openly signaled support for the CR.
If other Democrats refuse to join, Republicans are prepared to make them suffer politically.
“If Democrats choose to shut down the government, they’re going to own it lock, stock, and barrel,” said Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
With the House adjourned until March 24 and Trump holding all the cards, it’s clear that Democrats have backed themselves into a losing battle.
If they choose to let the government shut down, the blame will fall squarely on them—a political nightmare for vulnerable Senate Democrats facing re-election in 2026.
