What Democrats say they won in the 43-day government shutdown – NBC News

Government Shutdown

What Democrats say they won in the 43-day government shutdown

Emotions are raw after eight senators voted to end the shutdown, but Democrats say they demonstrated an ability to take on Trump and shifted the conversation to health care.

Nov. 12, 2025, 2:00 AM PST

By Scott Wong, Ryan Nobles and Lillie Boudreaux

WASHINGTON — Democrats shut down the federal government to secure a key demand: extending health care subsidies for millions of Americans.

After a more than 40-day standoff, they threw in the towel — with no guarantee from Republicans that they would agree to renew the expiring Obamacare tax credits.

More importantly, they said, the grueling shutdown that is expected to end in the coming days has “crystallized” the battle lines in the next major political fight over health care that is sure to spill into the 2026 midterm election year. It also underscored Trump’s cruelty, Democratic leaders said, as the White House fought to halt food stamp payments to states during the shutdown.

While emotions are raw and finger-pointing rampant in the wake of the deal, the Democratic Party was unified during most of the record shutdown, which is now in its 43rd day, demonstrating for the first time it could take on Trump, rev up the progressive base and turn out voters at the polls, as it did in this month’s elections.

“I think the Democrats did … some of the best messaging I think we’ve ever had in terms of talking about affordability and talking about health insurance,” said Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who voted against reopening the government. “And I think that was the reason why you saw the results coming in, in New Jersey and Virginia, and that you saw that the polling was going our way.”

Small wins

Among the eight Senate Democrats who struck a deal with the White House and Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., four were former governors — pragmatists used to working across the aisle who argue you don’t always get what you want in legislation.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: What Democrats say they won in the 43-day government shutdown