Senate Majority Leader John Thune is throwing out new bait to Democrats, but they remain unmoved. The South Dakota Republican is employing a new pressure tactic, planning to push for another vote on reopening the government later on Friday (November 7), the 38th day of the shutdown. The Senate has already rejected temporary funding proposals 14 times.



But this time he pledged to replace the temporary spending bill already passed by the House with a new appropriations package—a package that could keep the government running until January next year, while including full-year funding for areas such as veterans' programs and food assistance. "That's exactly what they asked for," Thune said.

However, according to two people authorized to speak anonymously about party dynamics, and interviews with several potential Democratic swing vote members, the Democrats are expected to reject procedural motions again after their landslide victory on Tuesday boosted morale (a victory that temporarily masked the party’s growing divisions).

The struggle between progressives and moderates beneath the guise of unity

Democrats are determined to force President Trump and his Republican counterparts to make greater concessions, with their core demand being the extension of the expiring health insurance subsidy program—a demand that is not explicitly guaranteed in the latest Republican proposal.

Nevada Democratic Senator Rosen stated, "The Thune leader's refusal to negotiate is tantamount to shooting himself in the foot." Although considered a potential swing vote, she made it clear that she would vote against it on Friday.

Following a three-hour lunch meeting on Thursday, several Democrats displayed solidarity—one of several meetings this week aimed at resolving the government shutdown crisis.

The number two Democrat, Illinois Senator Durbin, said that day, "We are maintaining unprecedented unity," while emphasizing that "everyone understands the seriousness of the government shutdown."

However, behind these declarations of unity lies an undercurrent of unrest within the Democratic Party: a group of moderate lawmakers who believe the time is right to reopen the government are increasingly at odds with the progressive camp, which is shocked by the idea of compromising without a healthcare agreement—especially after Tuesday’s election victory.

In a brief interview, Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders appealed to his colleagues: "They must stand up, they must fight, the American people stand behind them. Republicans must get back to the negotiating table and recognize that they cannot allow the cost of healthcare for tens of millions of Americans to double."

However, other voices within the party believe that Sanders and his allies, who are not involved in bipartisan negotiations, are merely trying to entangle with the Republicans in the absence of a practical solution—they have no feasible roadmap for ending the longest government shutdown in history.

Chaos and uncertainty on the eve of a crucial vote

A Senate Democratic aide, authorized to remain anonymous and speak candidly about party dynamics, noted that progressives "have so far failed to articulate their expected solution or come up with any concrete proposals to get Republicans back to the negotiating table—aside from endless delays. Meanwhile, those most severely impacted by the shutdown are the most burdened ordinary families."

Another Democratic aide involved in the bipartisan negotiations added, "We're unlikely to get a more favorable proposal."

This was precisely the position that Senate Democrats involved in the negotiations were trying to convey privately to their colleagues, who initially believed they had gradually gained support earlier this week. But Tuesday's overwhelming election victory reignited the fighting spirit of the party's radicals, leading many to doubt whether Republicans would offer new concessions.

Recent progress has been made in integrating the three appropriations bills. The package aims to maintain funding for some federal agencies until September, and includes a temporary spending bill to restart the operations of the remaining government departments for several months.

According to media reports, Republicans are also discussing whether the final agreement should rehire thousands of federal employees who were laid off during the shutdown—a new variable in the negotiations.

Where is the end? A shared dilemma among senators.

According to a source authorized to speak anonymously about sensitive negotiations, Republicans did not offer any new proposals on healthcare. They only pledged to vote on extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies by a future date, but remained unwavering in their stance that the government must first get back to functioning.

Meanwhile, efforts to get President Trump or House Speaker Mike Johnson to endorse any possible compromise reached in the Senate have made no progress to date.

Thune admitted on Thursday: "I have made it clear to them that I cannot promise results, only that I can ensure the process. We have repeated this conversation many times."

As senators left the Capitol on Thursday evening, they remained uncertain about what specific proposals they would be asked to vote on on Friday. To allow more time for negotiations, the Senate will not reconvene until later on Friday, and the previously promised specific time for the vote remains undecided.

If the vote fails as expected, Thune's next move remains unclear. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican senator from Wyoming, said Thursday that the Senate will continue working over the weekend, but if a breakthrough is unlikely, senators may walk out—or even enter the planned Veterans Day recess.

This uncertainty has led the exhausted senators to question whether the end of this deadlock is really just around the corner.

"We've been negotiating for days but haven't been able to reach any effective results," said Delaware Senator Chris Coons. The Democrat, considered the most likely to support a bipartisan compromise, admitted, "But I still hope to find a breakthrough before the weekend."

South Dakota Republican Senator Mike Rounds, who has been deeply involved in bipartisan negotiations, said on Thursday, "All coordination efforts have so far been ineffective."

He added, "All parties are still trying to advance the consensus, but to be honest I feel discouraged. I hope the situation will improve tomorrow, but I am not optimistic about it."