Senate Dems On Verge Of Ending Shutdown After Polling Turns Against Them
After nearly three weeks of Washington gridlock, the first cracks are beginning to show in the Democrats’ wall of obstruction. Several moderate Senate Democrats are reportedly reconsidering their loyalty to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, signaling a possible end to the government shutdown that began on October 1.
Public frustration has soared as the shutdown drags on, and economic warning signs are flashing red. What began as a calculated Democratic blockade against a clean continuing resolution — which would have simply kept the government open — has spiraled into a political disaster for the left. Instead of supporting a no-strings funding measure, Democrats insisted on a $1.5 trillion progressive spending spree packed with ideological pet projects, grinding government operations to a halt and leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers in limbo.
Now, even the mainstream media is beginning to notice the shift. Following last weekend’s so-called “No Kings” rallies — left-wing protests organized to show resistance against President Donald J. Trump — the enthusiasm on the progressive side appears to be fizzling out.
“There’s sort of cracks in the Schumer armor,” said National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett. “I think the Schumer Shutdown is likely to end sometime this week.”
Hassett’s prediction, made during an appearance on CNBC, came amid reports that several Senate Democrats — including Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Angus King (I-Maine) — are growing uneasy about their party’s political strategy.
Polling confirms what many in Washington already suspect: the longer the stalemate continues, the more blame voters — including independents and centrist Democrats — are placing on Schumer and his caucus.
Meanwhile, the real-world impact of the shutdown continues to ripple nationwide. More than 750,000 federal employees are either furloughed or working without pay, and military families are feeling the squeeze. Air travel chaos has also erupted, with over 53,000 flight delays attributed to staffing shortages caused by the funding lapse.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson reaffirmed the administration’s position: “Americans struggling is not good,” she said, underscoring President Trump’s commitment to reopening the government with a clean funding bill — without caving to what he calls “reckless Democratic hostage-taking.”
Business leaders are now warning that the economic fallout is growing by the day. Tourism and transportation industries are taking heavy hits, and consumer confidence continues to slide as Americans lose patience with Congress’s inability to act.
Behind closed doors, moderate Democrats are beginning to panic. Shaheen has reportedly told colleagues that her constituents are fed up with “Washington games,” a sentiment echoed by others in vulnerable seats who face reelection in 2026.
Hassett noted that many Democrats had delayed making a move before the “No Kings” rallies, fearing backlash from their party’s activist base. But with those protests behind them, they may now have the political cover to break ranks.
“There’s a shot that this week things will come together, and very quickly the moderate Democrats will move forward and get us an open government,” Hassett added.
A bipartisan group of senators has begun discussing a short-term compromise — one that would temporarily reopen the government under a clean continuing resolution while leaving negotiations on Democratic priorities, such as healthcare subsidies, for later.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) remains firm that Republicans will not “negotiate under hostage conditions.” His steadfast leadership has placed mounting pressure on Schumer’s caucus, where internal fractures are now impossible to ignore.
If even a handful of moderate Democrats side with Republicans to end the standoff, it would deliver President Trump a decisive political victory — and shatter the illusion of unity that Schumer has fought to maintain within his increasingly divided party.