What has become clear since the deal in the Senate to end the government shutdown was announced is that those who are siding with Republicans to end the shutdown are less than one-sixth of the Senate Democratic caucus.
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The people who have decided to abandon 24 million Americans to face higher health insurance premiums or lose their health insurance appear to have acted more out of self-interest than what their party wanted.
Two of the eight senators are retiring. The other six aren’t up for reelection in 2026.
Each seems to have their own motive for voting with Republicans. Some are long-time Senate institutionalists who believe in bipartisan deals and a very antiquated way of Senate function. Others were looking out for federal workers in their home state, and some put their own political ambitions first.
No matter what, the eight Democrats chose to ignore the priorities of their own party to support a deal that was in the best interests of others, not Democrats.
Sarah Jones said why eight Senate Democrats broke away and made a deal on the shutdown on Chew’s Views:
What it looks like to me. Is very basic. It’s their own self-interest and the interest of their state, and if you look at, Senator Kane for example, Virginia’s full of federal workers.
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