Three members of the Senate Democratic caucus — two Democrats and one Independent — broke ranks Tuesday by voting in favor of the Republican-backed funding measure that would have staved off a government shutdown.
The three are Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto D-Nev.) plus Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with Democrats, per USA Today.
“President Trump and Congressional Republicans are already hurting Nevadans who are dealing with high costs, an economic slowdown, and a looming health care crisis,” Cortez Masto said after the vote. “That’s why I cannot support a costly shutdown that would hurt Nevada families and hand even more power to this reckless administration.”
Fetterman cautioned that a shutdown would empower President Trump to gut Democratic priorities. It would also enable White House budget director Russell Vought to put into effect Project 2025, the conservative blueprint to overhaul the federal government.
“The president has a lot of levers he could pull. This is one we could pull, but why would we pull that lever? Because that allows him to pull a lot more levers,” Fetterman told reporters, The Hill reported.
“I think that would be the ideal for Project 2025,” he added.
King said the vote was one of the toughest of his career in the Senate.
“I just came from the Senate floor where I took one of the most difficult votes I’ve taken since I’ve been in the Senate,” he said. “Many feel that this was an opportunity to stand up to Donald Trump, to vote no and to fight back.”
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The measure needed 60 votes to advance. The vote was 55-45. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted against it.
The White House has threatened civil service layoffs and furloughs if there was a shutdown. Government agencies are already on track to lose roughly 300,000 employees this year from firings, buyouts, retirements and other departures.
Senate Republicans lauded the three as a sign that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is weaker.
“There are some Democrats who are very unhappy with the situation they’re in,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said at a press conference.
“We need … another five” Democratic votes to pass the measure, Thune said.
