Senate Dems splinter on shutdown after election success
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Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a news conference at the Capitol on Nov. 5. Photo: Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) crashed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's press conference Wednesday and warned against agreeing to fund the government without guaranteed extensions of health care tax credits.
Why it matters: The party is splintered over whether to cut a deal to end the shutdown or hold out even longer to force concessions from Republicans.
- Sanders took the podium at a scheduled Schumer (D-N.Y.) press event and said any deal to fund the government must include a commitment from Republican leaders that ACA tax credit extensions will be signed into law.
- Sanders is part of a group of Senate Democrats who vehemently do not want the party to cave on the shutdown. The group is comprised of at least nine Democrats, multiple sources said.
- Democrats' sweeping success in Tuesday night's elections is only hardening the group's resolve, sources told Axios.
The big picture: The handwringing over whether Democrats will fold comes as a group of moderate Senate Democrats continues to negotiate a possible solution to ending the shutdown.
- The group, which includes Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Angus King (I-Maine), huddled in the Senate on Wednesday to discuss a path forward after the elections, multiple sources told Axios.
- They're in discussions with Republicans on a potential compromise, the contours of which would include a short-term funding bill, a group of full appropriations bills and a future vote on ACA tax credits.
Yes, but: A future vote without a guarantee that the tax credit extensions would become law is a non-starter for some Democrats.
- "If it's just a piece of legislation that passes the Senate … then it becomes a meaningless gesture," Sanders said at the press conference.
- Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) in a long caucus meeting on Tuesday urged Democrats not to relent on their terms for a government funding deal yet, sources told Axios.
The bottom line: Schumer is demanding that President Trump meet with him and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to negotiate.
- Schumer has refused to say what would be enough for Democrats to open up the government.
