Eight Democratic senators break with their party to end government shutdown

Eight Democratic senators broke with their party leaders to vote in favor of a continuing resolution passed by the House Sunday evening, taking a major step toward ending the government shutdown.

The House bill funds military construction, the Department of Agriculture and the Legislature through September 30, 2026, and the rest of the government through January 30. The final result of the Senate vote was 60 to 40, the minimum threshold for passage of such a bill.

Here are the Democrats who made this happen.

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania

Sen. John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, broke with Democratic leaders and voted Sunday to end the government shutdown. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has proven to be one of the Democrats most willing to oppose his party since joining the Senate in 2023.

Although Fetterman remained loyal to Democratic leaders throughout the shutdown, he argued for weeks that the party lacked the influence to force Republicans to make changes.

“After 40 days of consistent opposition to shutting down our government, I voted YES for the 15th time to REOPEN. I am sorry to our military, SNAP recipients, civil servants and Capitol Police who have not been paid in weeks. It should never have come to this,” Fetterman said in a statement.

“It was a failure,” he added.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Democrat of Nevada, consistently voted with Republicans to reopen the government throughout the 40-day shutdown.

“I have consistently voted against a government shutdown because I know the pain it causes working families, from TSA agents to government contractors. We must expand the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits, but it cannot come at the expense of the millions of Americans across our country affected by a shutdown,” she wrote in a statement Sunday.

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“With the government open, we can focus on passing a comprehensive bipartisan budget for 2026. That starts with a minibus that will restore funding cut by President Trump, provide millions of dollars in critical funding to Nevada, and block the administration of future RIFs,” she added.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks during a news conference with other Senate Democrats who voted to restore government funding, in Washington, DC, November 9, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada

Unlike his Nevada colleague, Senator Jacky Rosen, Democrat of Nevada, had opposed Republican efforts to reopen the government in recent weeks.

Rosen now argues that Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s promise to vote on the Affordable Care Act expansions in December is a major concession.

“The concession we were able to get to get us closer to expanding the Affordable Care Act tax credits was a vote on a bill written and negotiated by Senate Democrats. Let me be clear: I will continue to fight like hell to ensure we force Republicans to make this happen,” she said in a statement Sunday.

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Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is the Senate whip for Democrats and was among the largest defections Sunday night.

Durbin also highlighted the concessions Republicans made in the latest version of the bill.

“Today’s bill is not the same one we rejected 14 times. Republicans finally woke up and realized their Groundhog Day had to end. This bill isn’t perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce the damage caused by their shutdown. Not only would it fully fund SNAP for the coming year, it would reverse the mass layoffs the Trump administration has ordered throughout the shutdown,” he wrote on Sunday.

“Now that Democrats have secured these victories, it is time for Leader Thune to deliver on his promise to schedule a vote on the ACA tax credits in December and we will make sure he keeps his word for the millions of Americans worried about not being able to afford health care in January,” he added.

Senator Angus King speaks during a press conference following a vote at the Capitol on November 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Anna Rose Layden/Getty)

Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., played a key role alongside King in negotiating an end to the shutdown, working to bring together Democrats willing to accept some concessions from the Republican Party.

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She argued that Republicans have proven they are unwilling to participate in health care negotiations amid a government shutdown, which will only worsen Americans’ suffering if Democrats press the issue.

“With government reopening, it’s time to act quickly to ensure health care premiums don’t skyrocket,” Shaheen said. “President Trump, Leader Thune and President Johnson have all said they are ready to find a way to extend these tax credits. We are ready to negotiate immediately.”

Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire

Hassan also worked closely with his New Hampshire colleague to end the shutdown.

“A record-length government shutdown coupled with record increases in health insurance costs is not the kind of story the American people want Congress to make,” Hassan said in a statement.

“Congress has one month to engage in serious bipartisan negotiations to extend the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance tax cuts. My Democratic colleagues and I have been ready to work on this for months. With the government reopening soon, Senate Republicans must finally come to the table – or, make no mistake, Americans will remember those who stood in the way,” she added.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) speaks during a press conference with other Democratic senators who voted to restore government funding, in Washington, DC, November 9, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia

Sen. Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, has been hyperfocused on the Trump administration’s layoffs throughout the shutdown, thanks in large part to the fact that he represents hundreds of thousands of federal commuters who live in northern Virginia.

He played a key role in inserting language into Sunday’s bill that blocks Trump from pursuing further force reductions (RIF) until January 30.

“This legislation will protect federal workers from unfounded terminations, reinstate those who were unfairly terminated during the shutdown, and ensure that federal workers receive back pay, as required by a law I passed in 2019,” he told his constituents. “This is a critical step that will help federal employees and all Americans who rely on government services.”

Senator Angus, King of Maine

Sen. Angus King, I-Me., who caucuses with Democrats, supported the party’s effort to secure health insurance premium extensions, but he also warned that the shutdown gave too much authority to President Donald Trump.

“Today, I voted again to reopen government, restore vital services to Maine people, put people back to work, feed the hungry, and ensure an opportunity to avoid harmful increases in health care costs,” King said Sunday.

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“It became clear six weeks after the shutdown that the strategy of shutting down the government and forcing Republicans to talk about the ACA was not working,” he added in a video addressed to his constituents.

“The closure did not achieve its objective and, at the same time, it hurt a lot of people,” he continued.