Senate Democrats emboldened by election victories amid 36-day shutdown

Senate Democrats are in great shape after a wave of Election Day victories and view the performance of Democratic candidates as an indicator of the effectiveness of their shutdown strategy.

As the government shutdown officially reached an all-time high on its 36th day, Senate Democrats felt emboldened by the election results and saw the resounding victories across the country as an indictment of President Donald Trump and Republicans, particularly on the issue of expiring Obamacare premium subsidies.

However, some Democratic senators are considering a way out of the crisis and are considering an offer from Republicans that would guarantee them a vote on expiring subsidies in exchange for their support for the continuing resolution (CR) adopted by the House.

SENA DEMOCRATS EMERGE FROM RECORD SHUTDOWN AS PRESSURE INTENSIFIES

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., elaborated on the party’s position. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

But some warn that giving in now to the promise of a vote would be a bad decision.

“If they give in now and do a meaningless vote, I think it will be a horrible decision politically, and I think politically, for Democrats,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. “And you know, they’re going to run for office in 2026. Some of you may have heard the expression: when you fight, you win. Have you ever heard that? Well, when you give in, you lose.”

Some Republicans worry that the election has caused Senate Democrats to deepen their position and remain united in their shutdown plan.

President Donald Trump, at a White House breakfast with Senate Republicans Wednesday morning, said “the shutdown was a big, negative factor for Republicans” on election night.

“I think Democrats, you know, may feel emboldened by this, but I think people are going to get through the election results pretty quickly and start to remember that they just unilaterally decided to shut down the government,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “So I think it might be maybe a slight increase, but ultimately we’re going to get back to the reality that we have to fund the government.”

SCHUMER PUSHES CLOSURE INTO THE RECORD BOOKS AFTER REJECTING GOP BILL A 14TH TIME

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at the No Kings Rally in Washington, Oct. 18, 2025. (Emma Woodhead/Fox News Digital)

The Republicans are also not changing their shutdown strategy as the shutdown continues. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has proposed that Senate Democrats vote on expiration of the grants and wants to restart the government funding process by tying a small package of spending bills to the CR.

“Can this be over now? Have the American people suffered enough or do Democrats need more?” Thune said on the Senate floor.

Despite his and the Republican Party’s offer, as well as Trump’s, to meet with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., after the shutdown ends following the expiration of the grants, Senate Democrats want more.

“Republicans should no longer ignore us for their own good and the good of the country,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “So this morning, Leader Jeffries and I once again demanded a meeting with the President. It’s time to sit down and negotiate with Democrats to end this Republican gridlock.”

SENATE REPUBLICS PLAN LONGER-TERM FUNDING BILL AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES

President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast with Senate and House Republicans in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, November 5, 2025. (Evan Vucci/AP Newsroom)

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., whose home state elected Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill in a resounding double-digit victory over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, said Trump “certainly feels weaker.”

“This is a resounding defeat for Donald Trump,” Kim said. “He should have woken up this morning and immediately said, ‘I…we have to negotiate. We have to end this shutdown.'”

And Sen. Ruben Gallego, Democrat of Arizona, agreed with Sanders’ view that Democrats should dig in and not give in.

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But he was skeptical about whether it would strengthen Senate Democrats’ position in their efforts to bring Trump to the negotiating table.

“If you’re dealing with rational actors, yes, are we dealing with rational actors? I have no idea,” Gallego told Fox News Digital. “This is a man who is going around the country and redistricting the country, and in the middle of that redistricting, to help him avoid having to deal with a Democratic-controlled Congress, and now he’s basically going to ensure a Democratic Congress by screwing up the one thing that is completely within his control, which is making sure these bonuses don’t go up.”