Why These Six Democrats Defied Hakeem Jeffries To End Shutdown

Six House Democrats defied Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Wednesday evening to support a Senate-passed deal to end the 43-day government shutdown.

Though Jeffries tried to limit the defections, a handful of centrist Democrats, who all represent seats President Donald Trump won in 2024, crossed party lines to support reopening the government. The group cited the toll the 43-day shutdown was inflicting on their constituents, undercutting Democratic leaders’ claims that the record-breaking funding lapse was worth prolonging.

Jeffries told reporters Tuesday that it was his “strong expectation” that his conference would oppose the funding package to reopen the government. Democrats’ chief ask — an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits — were not included in the bipartisan package.

“We’re strongly opposed as House Democrats to this reckless Republican effort to continue to raise the high cost of living on everyday Americans, which is exactly what they’re doing by failing to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” Jeffries told reporters Tuesday.

Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Greg Steube of Florida were the only Republicans to oppose the funding package.

Maine Rep. Jared Golden 

Golden cast the first Democratic vote for the spending package after being the lone Democratic lawmaker to break ranks and support the Republican-backed continuing resolution (CR) in September. The Maine Democrat also sharply criticized party leadership in early October for shutting down the government to curry favor with “far-left” groups.

Golden, a moderate Democrat who has consistently pulled out wins in a Republican-leaning district, announced that he would not seek reelection on Nov. 5. Maine’s 2nd congressional district — which Trump won by nine percentage points in 2024 — is likely to be a prime flip opportunity for Republicans’ with Golden’s retirement announcement.

“I just voted to reopen the government, pay federal workers and get food assistance and other critical programs up and running again,” Golden said in a statement posted to social media following the vote.

Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

Gluesenkamp Perez, a moderate lawmaker representing a battleground district Trump carried by 3 points, accused Democrats’ shutdown strategy of “holding hungry Americans hostage” in a statement following the vote.

“The last several weeks have been a case study in why most Americans can’t stand Congress,” Gluesenkamp Perez wrote on X. “None of my friends who rely on SNAP would want to trade their dinner for an ambiguous D.C. beltway ‘messaging victory’ and I’m glad this ugly scene is in the rearview mirror.”

She notably missed the vote on the Republican-backed bill in September to avert a government shutdown. The Washington Democrat later said she would have supported the stopgap spending bill.

New York Rep. Tom Suozzi 

Suozzi said he voted for the Senate-passed funding package due to his belief that his Republican colleagues “want to get something done” to extend the enhanced ACA premium tax credits.

“If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are willing to work together to address this health insurance affordability crisis by extending the premium tax credits, then we will have accomplished something meaningful,” Suozzi wrote on X following the vote.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to hold a vote on an extension bill.

The New York Democrat, who represents a Long Island-based seat Trump won by four points in 2024, notably opposed the September funding package to avert a government shutdown.

Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar 

Cuellar praised the Senate’s bipartisan deal to end the shutdown Sunday, noting it will “deliver relief” to furloughed government workers in his district and allow for a vote on an ACA subsidy bill.

“The government shutdown has made life harder for families across South Texas,” Cuellar wrote in a statement following the vote.

He previously voted with nearly all Democrats against funding the government in September. The Texas Democrat was indicted last year on federal bribery charges and is awaiting a criminal trial.

Trump carried Cuellar’s current district by seven points in 2024. Following Texas’ mid-decade redistricting, he is running for reelection in a seat Trump won by 10 points.

North Carolina Rep. Don Davis

Davis, who voted against funding the government in September due to Democrats’ health care demands, said he flippedhis position Wednesday to “alleviate the suffering” of families in his district.

Roll Call named Davis the most vulnerable House incumbent running for reelection. North Carolina Republicans redrewthe state’s congressional maps in October to shift Davis’ seat firmly into the Republican column. Though Trump won Davis’ rural district by three points in 2024, his new district would have backed the president by 12 points.

California Rep. Adam Gray

Gray, a freshman lawmaker representing a purple district Trump won by over five points in 2024, pointed to the spending package funding federal food assistance through September 2026 as justification for his “yes” vote.

“Shutting down the government does not make anyone more free, prosperous, or secure,” Gray wrote in an op-ed for the California-based Turlock Journal explaining his vote. “It just makes life harder for people already carrying too much.”

Andi Shae Napier and Caden Olson contributed to this report. 

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