REPORT: Three key Democratic senators to watch in the government shutdown standoff

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FROM NBC News: The federal government remains shut down, with the Senate struggling to find the 60 votes needed to reopen it and no negotiations taking place between the leaders of the two parties.

Republicans control the Senate but need at least eight Democratic caucus members to vote with them to overcome a filibuster and end the shutdown. So far, they have just three: Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Angus King, I-Maine. The rest are holding firm so far as the party demands concessions in the form of health care funding in order to win their votes.

With no serious discussions occurring between Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the spotlight turns to rank-and-file senators who could be key to finding a way to break the impasse.

Here are the three key Democratic senators to watch.

  1. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.: As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee tasked with writing government funding bills, “she loathes shutdowns,” the report says.
  2. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.: He is the only Democrat seeking re-election next year coming from a state President Donald Trump won in 2024. “If the public turns on Democrats in the shutdown fight, Ossoff will face immense pressure to flip,” the report says.
  3. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii: He was one of the 10 Democrats whose vote allowed Republicans to pass a six-month government funding bill in March. Schatz is Schumer’s deputy and he “has his finger on the pulse of both the Democratic conference and the party base.” He will be aware of the direction of the caucus at large, so if he’s on board with a decision, “other fence-sitters in the conference may feel more comfortable supporting it,” the report states.

Read more at NBC News.

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