The Senate on Tuesday, as expected, failed to approve a GOP stopgap to keep the government funded or a Democratic alternative, edging the government closer to a midnight shutdown.

The votes came at the end of a day notable for the lack of public work being done by either party to prevent a shutdown.

Normally, the hours and days before the prospect of a shutdown on Capitol Hill are filled with scenes of lawmakers and aides scurrying about to negotiate possible settlements.

But after a meeting at the White House on Monday between President Trump and congressional leaders from both parties failed to make any headway, Tuesday was all about messaging and questions over how long the latest shutdown might last.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said the shutdown could go “beyond a week or so.”

“We’re just so far apart; we’re no closer today than we were a month ago,” he said.

Sixty Senate votes were needed to pass the funding bills. The GOP bill approved in September by the House funding the government through Nov. 21 won three Democratic votes, one of which came from Sen. Angus King (Maine), an independent who caucuses with Democrats, but failed 55-45.

A Democratic alternative, which would have needed House approval anyway to get to President Trump’s desk, failed in a 47-53 vote.

Senators say they’ll keep their staffs working through Friday and possibly through the weekend in expectation of successive votes to reopen the government — votes that will be crafted mainly as messaging vehicles to pin blame for the shutdown on one party or the other.

There’s little chance of Republican and Democratic leaders sitting down for a real negotiation until the shutdown drags on for several days.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Tuesday he won’t negotiate with Democrats over their........

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