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▪ Shutdown stakes set to rise

▪ Trump-Mamdani rivalry intensifies

▪ GOP raises alarms over election results

▪ Musk the trillionaire?

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Democrats are feeling bullish about staying the course on the government shutdown following their sweeping wins this week.

Ahead of Election Day, hopes had risen in both parties that the election could mark a turning point in the shutdown, especially as it was set to break the record Wednesday for the longest in U.S. history.

A handful of moderate Senate Democrats have been privately meeting to discuss what they would need to vote this week or next to reopen the government after a more than month-long funding lapse.

But the extent of Democrats’ victories in key races in Virginia and New Jersey seems to have stalled progress that Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee had been making, The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports.

They point to President Trump’s remarks suggesting that the shutdown is partly responsible for Republicans’ poor performances. He said polls showed the shutdown was a major negative factor for the GOP, as was his name not being on the ballot.

“Last night, it was not expected to be a victory. It was very Democrat areas. I don’t think it was good for Republicans,” Trump said in remarks to GOP senators. “I’m not sure it was good for anybody. But we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) read Trump’s remarks on the Senate floor, adding into the record Trump’s acknowledgement of the shutdown hurting Republicans. Polls have continued to show more Americans blaming the GOP for the shutdown than Democrats.

Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) demanded another bipartisan meeting with Trump and Republican congressional leaders, saying they want to address the “GOP shutdown” and “Republican health care crisis.”

“Thank you for your attention to this matter,” the pair concluded, using Trump's go-to Truth Social signoff.

But The Hill’s Al Weaver reports that divisions among Democrats remain and are deepening as the group of moderate-leaning members signals they’re ready to end the shutdown while their progressive colleagues feel invigorated to continue their opposition.

Trump still isn’t showing much interest in negotiating with Democrats. He pressed Senate Republicans at the White House on Wednesday to eliminate the filibuster to allow the GOP to reopen the government without any Democratic votes.

Trump said eliminating the filibuster is necessary for Republicans to avoid another result like what happened Tuesday, suggesting the midterm elections are at stake.

That push has previously not been well-received among many Republicans who have supported keeping the filibuster in place. But Bolton reports that support among Senate Republicans is picking up steam following the White House breakfast Wednesday.

Still, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Wednesday there aren't enough votes for the idea, which he has himself vocally opposed.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has floated raising the stakes of the shutdown. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Wednesday it would reduce flight capacity by 10 percent at 40 "high-traffic" areas around the U.S. starting Friday if the shutdown isn't over.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford called the move “appropriate to continue to take the pressure off of” air traffic controllers, who are set to miss their second paycheck next week amid the record-long shutdown.

▪ The Hill: Officials to reduce air traffic if shutdown surpasses Friday.

▪ NPR: How the shutdown compares to previous ones.

Smart Take with Blake Burman

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) first made news several weeks ago during the shutdown by saying the rising cost of health care needs to be addressed, citing how premiums will increase for her own children. After Tuesday night’s elections, we are now starting to hear more Republicans echo similar calls, saying affordability in America needs a further focus. I spoke with Greene on Wednesday night.

“I believe the election yesterday was a referendum on not delivering what November 2024 was about,” she told me. “It was about 'America First.' It was about MAHA and it was about cost of living and putting Americans’ issues above everything else, and that has not been the focus for months now.”

President Trump urged Republicans to talk about his efforts to lower costs. This was the key issue in 2024, remains the top issue in 2025 and likely will be a driving topic in 2026. After five straight years of inflation, the compounding impacts remain, and now it's Republicans who are having to politically deal with the key issue.

Burman hosts "The Hill" weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation.

3 Things to Know Today

1. California Republicans are suing to block a new congressional map from taking effect after voters overwhelmingly approved redrawing the state’s district lines. The new map, if enacted, could cost five GOP House members their seats.

2. The race for a vacant U.S. House seat in Texas is heading to a runoff after no candidate received a majority of the vote. The tight Republican House majority will narrow further after one of the two Democrats who advanced wins the runoff in December.

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