WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 7: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) attends a news conference following a weekly Democratic policy luncheon on Capitol Hill on October 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. The government remains shut down after Congress failed to reach a funding deal. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
FOX is told to keep an eye on these senators who caucus with the Democrats: Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Mark Warner, D-Va., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Angus King, I-Maine, and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Also keep an eye on Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has expressed interest in opening the government.
THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHERE WE STAND WITH A POTENTIAL BREAK IN THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
In addition, it is unclear if Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., could vote yes. Paul previously voted to block the old GOP funding plan. A potential yea or nay vote by Paul could determine how many Democrats are needed to break the filibuster. After all, it’s about the math.
Voting to break the filibuster does not necessarily mean that these senators would eventually vote for the underlying bill. However, Republicans can haul the freight on their own with a simple majority and won’t need any Democrats for final passage.
What happens if the Senate scores 60 yeas? By the book, it would take until NEXT weekend to get to a final vote on the bill. But that probably doesn’t happen.
There are two schools of thought:
One school says that Democrats are frustrated with one another and just want to get out of the Capitol. So it’s possible they could forge a time agreement and vote on final passage of the bill overnight tonight or maybe during the daylight hours on Monday.
People make their way through a terminal at San Diego International Airport Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in San Diego. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo)
Volunteer Bruce Toben packs groceries durning an emergency food distribution at the at The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's Mitzvah Food Program in Philadelphia, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)
Here’s another factor:
Some rank-and-file Democrats are fuming at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Liberals raged at Schumer when he sided with the GOP in the spring. Now some think Schumer overcorrected and went too far this time. This could have consequences for leadership elections down the road.
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So what changed for some Democrats?
The pressure of the shutdown was beginning to mount. It was a toxic combination of aviation delays (with the holidays looming), air traffic controllers off their jobs, federal workers missing paychecks, no distribution of SNAP benefits, Capitol Police officers and Congressional aides working without pay… you name it. Plus, some Democrats scored spending priorities important to them in the appropriations bills tacked on to the package. That’s what makes this measure different from the one which Democrats have blocked since late September. And, a new funding deadline of January 30 gives lawmakers the chance to finish the other spending bills and get their big asks into those bills. So, it was a combination of things which altered the equation.
Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hitchhikers-guide-what-expect-tonight-government-shutdown