Senate Majority Leader John Thune is reported to be lining up talks with rank-and-file Democrats to find an exit from the shutdown, and the stakes are getting serious. Approval for Democrats is slipping as the government remains closed and essential programs teeter, including food assistance for millions. This piece looks at where the talks stand, what Thune has said, and how Republicans see the leverage and the risks.
There’s a real question about whether Republicans will convert momentum into results or fumble at the crucial moment. The GOP has a chance to hold firm and force a sober reopening without capitulating to Democratic demands. At the same time, the party must guard against a political misstep that hands Democrats a way to shift blame.
Reports suggest Democrats are quietly seeking an off-ramp as pressure mounts and public frustration grows. Major consequences are looming, including the possible lapse of federal food aid for 42 million Americans, which increases urgency for a resolution. Thune’s willingness to meet signals the Senate could move toward a bipartisan solution if Democrats show they are ready to reopen the government.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Wednesday he expects to meet soon with a group of rank-and-file Senate Democrats about ending the 29-day-and-counting government shutdown.
If the meeting happens, it would be a rare bipartisan gathering involving a top party leader. So far this month, Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have not met to discuss an exit path to the shutdown, leaving it to a small group of dealmaking members who have engaged in informal, on-and-off talks.
Those conversations have heated up in recent days, members of both parties say, as major ramifications bear down including the possible lapse of federal food aid for 42 million Americans.
“They’re looking for an off-ramp,” Thune told reporters.
“What I told them all along is, as soon as they’re ready to open up the government, that we will ensure that they have a process whereby they can have the chance to get their legislation voted on, their policies voted on,” he added. “I think they’ve become more interested, and I hope that’s continues.”
Thune made his comments after participating in an angry floor exchange with Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, who sought to pass a patch for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by unanimous consent.
The normally mild-mannered South Dakota Republican boiled over at points as he lambasted Democrats over what he called a “cynical” ploy to extend food assistance without fully reopening the government.
From a Republican perspective, the blame for the impasse rests squarely with Democratic leaders who pushed this course. Many conservatives view the shutdown as the predictable result of Democrats insisting on massive, unrelated spending — including a reported $1.5 trillion package tied to immigration and other priorities — instead of negotiating a clean reopening. The GOP believes it offered reasonable breathing room earlier with a seven-week continuing resolution funded at prior levels to allow finishing of outstanding appropriations bills.
The seven-week CR was intended as a bridge to complete the dozen or so appropriations bills still pending, and Republicans say that was a fair effort to avoid chaos. Instead, Democrats escalated demands that Republicans see as unrelated and punitive, forcing a stalemate that hurt everyday Americans. That reality is fueling conservative anger and a refusal to fold on terms that reward brinkmanship.
Beyond policy disputes, many on the right view the tactics on display as cynical political theater rather than serious governance. The rhetoric on the other side is seen as performative, designed to extract concessions instead of build durable solutions. That makes any negotiations fraught, because even a temporary fix risks encouraging similar standoffs in the future.
For now, Republicans are watching how these reported meetings unfold, wary but ready to use their leverage to reopen the government without conceding to expansive Democratic demands. Thune’s offer to provide a pathway for Democrats to bring their measures to a vote if the government reopens is the kind of procedural compromise conservatives can accept — provided it doesn’t become a backdoor to unlimited spending. The next few days will reveal whether Democrats are serious about ending the shutdown or simply seeking a political reset.
