Partisan standoffs in the Capitol are bubbling into tense public confrontations as the government shutdown heads into its tenth day — with no end in sight.

On Wednesday alone, a pair of confrontations garnered significant attention as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle struggle to secure the upper hand in negotiations.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) confronted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) over his unwillingness to support his bill — a one-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies — in what became a five-minute back-and-forth.

It all took place in front of gawking reporters following what has become Jeffries’ daily shutdown press conference, with Jeffries calling Lawler a “complete and total embarrassment.”

Hours earlier, Arizona Sens. Ruben Gallego (D) and Mark Kelly (D) staged a surprise press conference outside of Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) office as they demanded he bring the House back in to negotiate on health care extensions, and that he swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) during a pro forma session.

Johnson allowed a pair of Florida lawmakers to be sworn in during a pro forma session earlier in the year, leaving Democrats to cry foul that he isn’t doing the same thing this go-around. They claim he isn’t doing so because Grijalva would be the 218th signature on a discharge petition to force a vote on the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which the Speaker has denied.

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