Schumer Facing More Defections During His Shutdown

MARY CHASTAIN OCT 24, 2025 1:00 PM

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has been the consistent Democrat to vote yes on bills to open the government or at least fund parts of it. He refuses to put party over his constituents.

We’ve seen Democrats vote for the CR, including Fetterman.

But yesterday we saw two other Democrats, with Fetterman, vote to pay essential workers during the shutdown: Georgia Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Axios reported:

Why it matters: Their dissents introduce a new challenge for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). He’s keeping his total number of defections low, but the universe of Democrats willing to defy him is expanding.

• Ossoff and Warnock, both Georgia Democrats, voted — along with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) — for a GOP-led bill to pay the military and some other federal workers.
• GOP leaders plan to put similar bills on the floor next week, possibly including a measure to pay air traffic controllers through the shutdown.
• Affordable Care Act open enrollment — and the possibility of widespread stoppages to food assistance programs at the beginning of November —could also add pressure on Democrats.

This is a Democrat shutdown. A continuing resolution needs 60 votes.

Therefore, Democrats need to cross the aisle.

By the way, this is exactly how our Founders wanted the government to work. They didn’t want the federal government to work! They made rules to force deadlocks.

It’ll be interesting to see how the days progress.

President Donald Trump has already said he’s prepared to use tariffs to fund areas of the government that need funding. That could be a tricky situation, but if they find a way, it could be another dagger in the Democrats’ plans.

[Featured image via YouTube]

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