These 8 Democrats voted with Republicans on the government shutdown deal. Here’s how they explain it
November 10, 2025
Eight Democratic senators are facing criticism from their own party for their deal with Republicans to end the federal government shutdown. The eight senators voted Sunday night to provide crucial votes to allow the Senate to move forward on compromise legislation that would reopen the government. Their decision was labeled a “betrayal” and “pathetic” by some of the most prominent voices in the Democratic Party. The group of moderate Democrats surely knew they would face such criticism when they broke ranks with most Democrats. But those senators say they were convinced it was time for the shutdown to end. Republicans praised them Monday, saying they put principle over personal politics.