By Nolan D. McCaskill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democrats in the U.S. Congress have rallied around healthcare as their top policy issue in a government shutdown standoff with President Donald Trump’s Republicans, hoping a focus on Americans’ concerns over access and affordability could help them in next year’s midterm elections.
The shutdown enters its third day on Friday, with the majority Republicans saying they will only back a stopgap bill to keep agencies funded through November 21. Democrats back a measure to continue and expand healthcare subsidies for the 24 million Americans who get their coverage through the Affordable Care Act.
Democrats are betting that their stance will improve their chances in the November 2026 elections, when control of both chambers of Congress will be up for grabs. The contest for control of the House of Representatives is expected to be closely fought, while Republicans are seen as having a strong chance of defending their Senate majority.
“The American people understand clearly that Republicans forced a government shutdown because they are hell-bent on defunding Americans’ health care,” said Katarina Flicker, a spokesperson for House Majority PAC, a super PAC aimed at electing House Democrats. “It will cost them at the ballot box in 2026.”
Democrats have reversed their usual positions in advocating for a government shutdown, which in the past has been triggered by Republicans pushing for cuts to government spending and, during the 35-day standoff in Trump’s first term, by his demands for border fence funds.
Republicans hold a thin 219-213 House majority and face a challenge because the incumbent president’s party typically loses seats in midterm elections. At Trump’s urging, several Republican-led states are working to redraw congressional maps before November 2026 to limit Democrats’ path to the majority.
Senate Republicans hold a 53-47 majority and are favored to retain it as they are defending few seats up for grabs in battleground states. Democrats would have to hold seats in Georgia and Michigan where Trump won and win competitive races in Maine and North Carolina in addition to more Republican-leaning states such as Ohio and Iowa or Texas to win the majority.
PLAYING THE BLAME GAME
Public opinion polls have shown that Americans currently view Republicans as somewhat more to blame for the shutdown than Democrats. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer seized on this and said of Trump’s party, “The longer they drag it out, the deeper the pain and that blame will grow.”
Not all Democrats shared his sanguinity. Mark Penn, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton, warned on X that a shutdown could backfire on the party.
“Shutting down the government could well cost them the midterms even (if) it plays well to the base voters,” Penn said.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson shared that view.
“It’s very important for us to say who’s being hurt in this,” Johnson said in an interview with Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow. “This is real pain to real people, and Chuck Schumer and the Democrats in the Senate seem not to care.”
(Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill; editing by Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman)
